Onward to Adventure - A Blue Nuzlocke Challenge
by blackstarlight17
Summary: Thirteen-year-old Alex has begun her Pokémon adventure, meeting various Pokémon and trainers across Kanto. She'll challenge Gyms and encounter various members of the notorious Team Rocket. She'll face plenty of joys as well as sorrows on her journey. Will she make it or end up failing on her journey to be the very best?
1. Chapter 1

**Been posting these chapters up on Deviantart, but saw others have posted their chapters here as well and wanted to share here as well.**

 **This is based on the first time I started a Nuzlocke, but after a while, I wanted to improve it and here I am.**

 **I will give warning that there will be some mature content from language to violence in future chapters. If that kind of stuff makes you uncomfortable, I suggest leaving now before it happens.**

 **So without further ado, I'll post the rules for those unfamiliar with Nuzlockes:**

 **1\. Nickname all caught Pok** **é** **mon**

 **2\. One Pok** **é** **mon per area**

 **a. Miss it, no second chance**

 **3\. No duplicates**

 **4\. Legendaries** ** _"may"_** **be caught**

 **5\. No items during any battle**

 **6\. Revives and rare candies are banned**

 **7\. If the Pok** **émon faints, it's considered dead and must be boxed/released**

 **8\. If all Pokémon faint, it's game ove** **r**

 **With that done, hope you enjoy.**

* * *

A young girl no older than thirteen made her way up to a building.

She wore a light blue hooded sweatshirt, with blue jeans and a pair of sneakers. Her black hair shaped her face nicely, complimenting her green eyes and tanned skin.

Reaching the door, she twisted the handle and went inside without needing to knock or wait for permission. She was expected to come by and was free to walk in.

Going inside, she took in the sights of the tall bookshelves filled not only with books but various pictures and knickknacks from the owner's younger days. She loved listening to the stories behind each one.

On several tables were littered with various papers, mostly research notes judging the numbers and equations. She barely had a clue what they meant, a few things making sense, the rest going over her head.

Going further in, more towards the back of the room, she stopped by a bookshelf when seeing a man standing there. She gave it a light knock to make herself known.

"Professor Oak?"

He turned when hearing her, a large smile forming. "Alex, I'm glad you're here. I hadn't seen you the last few days. I was worried you wouldn't show up today."

He walked over; giving her a strong hug, the young girl returning the favor.

Professor Oak had brown hair, a little gray starting to form. Like his hair, his face was beginning to show his age. He wore a white lab coat with a yellow t-shirt underneath. He had on brown lacks and similarly colored shoes.

The girl, Alex, gave the man a nervous smile as she toyed with the corner of her hoodie. "Sorry about that, since my mom had broken her leg, I've been helping her out with most of the chores."

"That makes sense; I hope she's doing better."

"She's starting too. Plus she has her Pokémon to help her out with anything I can't do."

"Well, when you return home, be sure to send my regards to your mother. And if she needs any help, don't hesitate to ask me or Anne."

"I will, Professor, thank you."

"Thought I heard you," a voice spoke up.

"Hey, Azure," she greeted a boy happily.

"Hey, Alex," he answered with the same enthusiasm.

The boy was about her age, only he was a couple years younger than her.

He was dressed mostly in blue, given it's his favorite color. Like the professor that stood with them, he had brown hair, only a bit darker and a little more unkempt.

"So, Dad what'd you want us for?" the boy asked.

At this, the professor couldn't hold back a wide grin, "Remember the Pokémon I told you I ordered? Well, they've finally arrived."

"You're kidding? Really?" Azure asked, practically bouncing in excitement.

"Yes, really," the older man laughed. "Now, I still need to do a last physical to make sure they're in top health. I should be done by tonight, so the two of you can come by tomorrow morning to pick one."

"Guess that makes sense," the boy sighed as he stretched himself. "But that isn't the _only_ thing you called us out here, isn't it?"

"Perceptive as always," Oak laughed, patting his child on the head. "There were a few things I also wanted to mention. Things the school could have left out or not talked much about when you two went there."

"What could they have left out though?" Alex asked, concern showing.

"Nothing serious I would hope," the professor reassured. "To start off, I'm certain both of you understand that there are risks being a trainer. You could get yourselves hurt if you're not careful just as much as your Pokémon can."

"They covered some, mostly how to do basic first aid if we hurt ourselves and we're not near a Pokémon Center," Azure chimed in.

"That's good to hear, though I don't think you two would be in too much danger even as beginners. Between here and Vermilion City is rather straightforward. Plus there are rangers and police often patrolling forests and such. So if you _were_ in trouble, you can be certain to find them or have your Pokémon find one for you if you couldn't move for any reason."

"That's good to know," Alex smiled before it faded slightly. "Umm… Professor? Could I ask you something?"

"Certainly, Alex, what's wrong?"

"Well, I wanted to know… How likely is it for a Pokémon to die? Mom said it can happen but not to worry, but…"

Oak gave her a comforting look, giving her a pat on the shoulder, "I understand your concerns, it's perfectly normal to worry. Come on, why don't we sit down?"

Oak guided the two towards some chairs, fetching themselves some tea before he began his explanation.

"To start things off, your mother is right. While Pokémon could potentially die on your journey, you shouldn't stress yourself out over it. Modern medicine has come a long way to treat Pokémon. It helps keep them strong and healthy, curing most injuries and ailments. Now that doesn't mean they'll miraculously heal, especially over a serious injury or any illness they may have caught. They need time to recover even after given medicine."

"It'd be like taking cold medicine. It doesn't always work right away or you need to give it time to go through your system completely before running around," Azure said, his father giving him a smile.

"That's correct. However, as I said, modern medicine's come a long way. It's harder for Pokémon to die so long as they're brought to a Pokémon Center quickly enough. Any that _do_ die though are often from certain diseases we've yet to find cures or treatments for as well as old age."

"What about battles though?" Azure interrupted.

"Thankfully for you two, there are laws where trainers could face fines if they were to kill another trainer's Pokémon, including wild ones. The exception to it though is if it was done out of self-defense. Just be aware that even with laws in place, it doesn't mean everyone will follow them, _especially_ wild Pokémon. There are species out there that are aggressive, so you need to be careful around them."

"That's actually a bit of a relief to hear," Alex sighed, a small smile forming. "I was worried for a moment because I don't want anything bad to happen to any Pokémon I get."

"I know the feeling," Oak comforted as he poured themselves more tea. "Is there anything else either of you wanted to ask?"

"I wanted to ask you about pokéballs. I heard a few of my classmates talking about different grades," Azure piped up.

"Good question," he smiled. "Right now, there's a limit on what kind of pokéballs certain class of trainers may carry. As you'll be beginners, you'll only have access to standard pokéballs. Once you've trained for some time, you could apply to have access to higher grades such as great balls and ultra balls."

"I don't remember the teacher ever saying anything like that before."

"Same."

Oak gave a small chuckle, "It's often overlooked as it's constantly switching from barring new trainers using them or not."

"How come?" Alex asked.

"There have been some cases where trainers get cocky and try to tackle something they aren't ready for. Usually, this is a Pokémon that is too strong for them like a Rydon or a Tauros. Trainers forget this when they get higher grades of pokéballs, thinking that's all they need to catch them."

"I'm guessing they and their Pokémon get badly hurt?" Azure asked.

"I'm afraid so. Last year there were at least ten deaths from novice trainers who've tried catching a Pokémon too much for theirs to handle."

"If it's to keep them from doing something stupid, I have no complaints. A pokéball is a pokéball, having a standard one just means I have to work harder to weaken it. And to do _that_ is to make sure my Pokémon are strong enough to do so," Azure grinned.

"I'm glad to hear that. It's good to use your head," Oak chuckled, ruffling his son's hair much to the boy's embarrassment.

"Dad!" he pouted, trying to fix his hair back up. " _Speaking_ of Pokémon, is it okay if we see the starters?"

"I'm sorry, Azure, but I can't," Oak apologized. "They're pretty tired from a long trip and need their rest."

"Alright," his son sighed, sipping his tea.

"You heard your dad, we'll see them tomorrow. Also, I heard from some townspeople talking about you being on TV, is that right?"

"Guess word's spread pretty quickly," Oak laughed, a blush forming. "I'll be doing a small interview for tomorrow to discuss the beginnings of starter Pokémon being handed out here. You two will get first pick. The other candidates will come by in later months to get their own once more come in."

"What about the third Pokémon though?"

"I've got a trainer in mind who might be interested after you've picked yours. And if turns out he doesn't want whatever is left, then I'll look for another who would. Now, with these Pokémon, as you've heard, they're rare. Finding one in the wild is very difficult, almost impossible. Because of this, I expect both of you to take good care of them."

"Of course, Professor," Alex smiled before continuing. "Even if they weren't special, I'd still love whatever I got. Just the idea of traveling is great, better with having a partner."

"Same here," Azure grinned.

"I'm glad to hear that from both of you," the professor smiled. "Pokémon are very precious to us. They protect us from harm, lending their strength when needed. It's our job to take care of them so their efforts aren't wasted and they know they're appreciated."

"You tell me that every day," Azure teased, making his father laugh in response.

"I suppose I do sometimes sound like a broken record," he responded, a blush having formed before getting serious again. "But I do mean what I said. Just because you're given a Pokémon or even capture one doesn't mean you've earned its trust. It's a give and take relationship. _Both_ sides need to give their all if they intend to work together."

"Sounds a little like friends, it isn't one-sided," Alex commented.

"Same with relationships, like you and Mom," Azure added.

"That's a good comparison," he laughed warmly.

They sat and talked some more, questions asked here and there, but mostly having fun at this point; the serious portion is now done.

When it was getting later, Oak got up, taking their cups and the pot to the small sink to clean them later. Afterward, he led them to the front doors, hands on their shoulders.

"Don't stay up too late, you two, it's going to be a big day," he teased, looking more towards his son. "And make sure you've packed all that you'll need for your trip. Be sure to pack only the essentials."

"I will," Alex grinned.

"Same, plus Mom would kill me if I waited until the last minute," Azure laughed nervously.

"She certainly knows how to get things moving," Oak chuckled, looking nervous as well when thinking of his wife.

"See you at home, Dad," Azure waved as the two started to leave.

"Bye, Professor," Alex copied.

Oak smiled as he waved back before heading inside.

Now that they were back outside in the fresh, afternoon air, the kids took it in. The warm sun felt great despite how hot it became.

With summer having officially arrived less than a week ago, it was the perfect time, the perfect _season_ for new trainers to start.

"Hey, Azure?"

"What is it?"

Both were wandering around, having no reason to go home just yet. There was still a fair amount of light left.

They walked through town, coming across a small battle area trainers would do practice battles. It was currently occupied by some trainers battling each other. One guy had a Chansey out while another was battling with an Arbok.

Both watched in amazement as the Pokémon fought each other with vigor, excitement, and joy shining in their eyes as it did with their trainers.

"Are you nervous about becoming a Pokémon trainer?" Alex asked suddenly as they continued watching.

The Chansey had lost, the trainer recalling her with a reassuring smile, likely telling the ball she did well. He threw out another ball, calling out a Vaporeon. The other trainer recalled his Arbok, switching for a Haunter.

"No way!" he exclaimed proudly, the girl elbowing him, making him give a sheepish look. "Okay, yeah, I'm a little nervous about traveling."

"Same here, but at the same time, I'm really excited."

"I know what you mean. To think we'll get to travel and explore all over. We'll get to see all sorts of Pokémon, battle different trainers all over, and best of all, catch our own."

As they talked, the trainers that had been battling finished. The trainer with the Chansey and Vaporeon managed to win, albeit it was very close. The two men, however, seemed to be good friends by the way they talked afterward. They continued talking as they walked off to heal their partners up.

"By the way, which starter are you thinking of picking?" Alex asked as they decided to wander some more.

"I'm not too sure, torn between Charmander and Squirtle. Bulbasaur's cool too; guess I'm not really going to know until tomorrow when we see them. What about you? What are you thinking of picking?"

"I'm having trouble choosing between Charmander and Bulbasaur. They're both really great looking Pokémon from what I've heard. And their evolutions look really amazing on TV. I bet they'd look better in person."

"What about Squirtle?"

"They're cute, but I can't really see myself raising one as my first Pokémon. Maybe down the road if I came across a wild one I might try."

"Huh? Guess that'd make sense, but you never know. You could see Squirtle and feel a connection with it," Azure mused. "That's what Dad told me how he felt when he got his very first Pokémon."

"That's true," Alex smiled, clasping her hands behind her back, gazing at the sky. She was snapped out of her thoughts when the younger boy started talking again. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Welcome back from space," he teased, ignoring the pout she made. "I asked why you were thinking of maybe getting a Charmander. Not a lot of girls pick fire types unless it's a Vulpix or maybe a Flareon for their Eevee."

"Well, Charmander are really cute for starters," Alex giggled.

"Point taken, but I doubt that's all."

"Nope, I also think Charmeleon's cute too, but they're also really strong. But my favorite is Charizard. They're so majestic looking, like something you'd see a knight or king with, either riding or fighting alongside them."

"That's really cool. You know, I remember my dad once saying something about Charizard being a family crest or something for a noble family. Don't know if such a family still exists or not, but it's cool to think it might or even had existed at one point."

"Oh wow, really? That's so cool!"

"I know," Azure grinned. "But even without that, Charizard are still cool Pokémon given they look like dragons."

"Maybe that's why they were picked for a noble crest?"

"Probably."

Alex was about to say something before remembering something, causing her to fish through the pocket of her hoodie.

Azure looked at her with a raised brow, watching as she pulled out a couple of potions.

"I know we're going to be essentially rivals, but I thought to give you these," the girl offered, handing them over.

"Are you sure?"

"I am, don't worry. My mom and I had been out shopping and I wanted to get you something for tomorrow."

"This is awesome, thanks," Azure grinned as he accepted them. "Hey, how about I tell you something cool I heard about at school."

"What is it?"

"It's about the Viridian Forest."

"What about the forest?"

"I heard some of the other kids talking about how some saw or heard of someone talking about seeing a weird colored Pokémon."

"Weird colored?"

"Yeah, supposedly it's a Pokémon whose colors are off. I don't know if that's true or if possible."

"Maybe it's some kind of change in the color of their fur or skin? Not every Pokémon's going to look the same," Alex suggested.

"Maybe, it would make the most sense. But the way they were going on about it, it didn't sound normal. I tried asking, but they didn't know what the Pokémon is. The most I got was that it was native to the Viridian Forest."

"Weird, have you asked your dad about it?"

"Not yet, I wanted to try and find out more about it first. You know, make sure it's real and not some made up story being spread around Viridian City."

"What will you do if it's real?"

"If it isn't too strong, I was thinking I might try to catch it."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Alex laughed.

"This is going to be so awesome though. I think I'm more pumped about catching Pokémon than anything."

"That's really…" the girl paused, recalling something that made her frown. "Azure, don't you remember about the new law?"

The boy stopped in his tracks as it dawned on him, his smile fading as well. "Right…"

Both recalled hearing on the news recently as well as overhearing various gossip in town, mostly from trainers passing through about a new law. It had just been approved within the last couple months by the board members of the Pokémon League and legalized by a group of judges.

It was a capture restriction on all trainers, specifically novice and beginners like themselves. A handful had been exempted due to a specific profession that required them to catch multiple Pokémon daily.

The reason for the restriction had been due to an increase in poaching from various hunters and Team Rocket, the latter especially. Certain species were hit hard, their numbers dangerously low. They were mostly rarer or unique species often coveted by collectors.

With this law in effect, trainers couldn't freely catch any Pokémon that they saw. Instead, they were bound to catching only one per area, notably ones listed on maps. Trainers also couldn't catch multiple Pokémon of the same species, including their evolutions.

To ensure trainers wouldn't break the law, accidentally or not, pokéballs now had a program in them to register where a Pokémon is caught. How exactly it worked, neither child knows and doubted they'd understand if they tried seeking the answer out. Pokéballs that didn't have that feature were to be traded in for the newer models. If they didn't, they would face a penalty if caught with them.

However, there were a few exceptions made, namely for trainers who wish to specialize in raising specific types or a specific species of Pokémon.

These trainers would have to undergo a screening and fill out paperwork in order to receive a secondary license. It would act as proof that they're allowed to catch multiples in an area as well as species should trainers or police question them.

It would limit only to their main type and limit how often they can go out to catch Pokémon. They would be given a set number of pokéballs each month programmed to their profession. If they lose them, they would have to pay the fees to replace it, having them broken or destroyed didn't count.

They would then have to proceed to fill out forms at the end of each month, providing information on the Pokémon they've caught and where. This way they could continue getting more pokéballs or be notified they couldn't catch anymore in that area thus would have to move on or wait until allowed.

Simply remembering all of that made Alex's head spin, certain Azure feels the same.

Part of her wished she had been born a few years sooner when the law wasn't in effect when the poaching hadn't become such a problem.

The positive thing she has going for herself is having not chosen to raise any specific types or select species of Pokémon. She planned to raise whatever she caught to the best of her ability. She felt it would be her best choice so when she's older, she could think about whether she wants to raise a specific type or not.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Azure started talking, wearing a cheeky grin, "Hey, at least we're being allowed to pick whatever we want. We don't have to get stuck catching the first thing we see or forced to skip an entire area because of the same species."

"That's true," she agreed, relieved by that. "Although, I won't be surprised if they _did_ add such a feature if this were to happen again."

"Let's hope not," the boy sighed, choosing to change the topic. "Let's just hope that rumor about the weird colored Pokémon is true. It really sounds cool. I'd love to see it."

"Me too."

"Would you catch it if you saw it?"

"I don't know. I guess it would depend on what it is. I don't want to catch it just solely for its looks."

"Yeah, guess that's true," Azure laughed. "But if it is indeed real and it's wild, should we want it, may the best trainer catch it." He held his hand out, the girl taking it as they shook.

"Okay then," Alex smiled. "So what next?"

"How about some ice cream? We're not far from the parlor," Azure suggested.

"Good idea!"

Both ran towards the shop, having to wait in line for a bit before their turn came up. That was fine by them, it gave them time to not only count their change but decide what flavors and toppings they wanted.

Once procuring their treats, they found a bench to sit with some decent shade.

"By the way, my dad is supposed to get a new assistant working in the lab. He's supposed to be from Johto."

"Johto? That's really cool."

"Yeah and get this, he's only a few years older than us. I think his name was Nicholas Elm or something. He's supposed to be really smart."

"How do you know?"

"I saw a letter that was from Johto and asked Dad about it. He told me that he actually hired this Elm guy to work for him as well as give extra tutoring in whatever he wanted. Supposedly he wants to become the lead professor for Johto."

"Oh wow, that's quite a dream to achieve," Alex awed.

"I bet, but knowing Dad, he'll help him succeed," Azure stated proudly. "But I'm willing to bet he's doing it because he's had board members bug him about being the lead professor for Johto _and_ Kanto."

"That might be too much for him."

"That's what I think."

Finishing up their cones and looking at the clock tower, both knew they should head home so they can get ready.

"I'll see ya later, Alex!" Azure called as they parted ways.

"See you tomorrow!" she called back.

Like the boy, she broke into a run, her house not far. Reaching the front door, she stopped to unlock it and go inside.

"I'm home!" she greeted while taking her shoes off at the mat.

"In here, honey," a woman called out.

Alex immediately went to the source, finding her mother sitting on the sofa; cast covered leg propped on pillows.

"Hi, Mom, how was your day?"

"Little boring, but could be worse," the woman shrugged. "Thankfully Butterfree helped me get a few things I needed."

Alex held back a smirk when spotting a crumpled potato chip bag stuffed behind a pillow. " _Needed_ huh?"

Her mother pouted before it quickly faded into a smile, "So how did things go?"

"It went great. Professor Oak told us the starter Pokémon finally arrived, he's just doing one last checkup before he lets us pick."

"Same old Sammy," her mother laughed warmly. "The man simply loves Pokémon so much. I swear he sees them as extended family."

"But that's what makes him so great."

"Too true, so is there anything else?"

"Just to be careful, make sure were know the current laws that would heavily affect us. The lesser ones we don't have to worry about since we'll be newbies."

"And he wouldn't expect you to remember everything without carrying several law books," her mother joked.

"Yeah," Alex laughed. "He also told us to make sure we get to bed early so we could be up early and we have everything packed."

"Good thing I got that new bag before I broke this." She gestured to her leg just as a Butterfree fluttered in, landing on the back of the sofa. "Hey, Butterfree."

"Ree?" it cocked its head to the side before noticing Alex. "Ree! Brrree!"

"Happy to see you too," the girl greeted as she leaned over to scratch its head. Turning back to her mom, she gave her a smile. "I really can't thank you enough though for the bag. I'm making sure to pack only what I need to reach Viridian City."

"That's good to hear. And you're good on money?"

"Been saving up since Azure graduated."

"Glad to hear."

"By the way, do you know when Dad's coming home?"

"Not for another couple of months I'm afraid," her mother said sadly. "He really wanted to come home to see you off."

"I know, it sucks he had to get called out now," Alex sighed with a thin smile.

They talked some more, later turning the TV on to watch Oak's first televised debut on the introduction of starter Pokémon at his lab.

As it got closer to dinner, Alex looked at the floor, insecurity starting to set in.

"Mom? Do you think I'll be a good trainer? Like you and Dad?"

"Of course you will, sweetie, maybe even better than us. We taught you everything we know and with Sam's help, got you enrolled in a wonderful school. He even let you and Azure help look after Rattata and Pidgey he had for his studies."

"That was a lot of fun to learn about differences between the same species of Pokémon," Alex said.

"I'm sure it was," her mother smiled. "But more importantly, you have a big heart. That will mean a lot to the Pokémon you meet."

"Thank you," the girl said, giving her mother a hug after twisting around to do so. "There was something else I wanted to ask."

"What is it?"

"Well… I was thinking about taking the Pokémon League Challenge. I've been seeing a lot of ads on TV and off the radio. I even heard a lot of trainers passing through town that they were thinking of signing up."

"Really?" her mother asked, excitement shining in her eyes.

"I thought that it might be fun to try," Alex said, blushing. "I know it'll be hard work and there's going to be a lot of trainers to face, especially the gym leaders and if I'm lucky, the Indigo Plateau Conference."

"Not gonna try going for the Elite Four?" her mother teased.

"I don't think I'd get that far, but it would be cool if I did," Alex said a nervous smile forming before turning more confident. "But that doesn't mean I won't give it my all!"

"That's the spirit! Even if you don't get far, it's still worth trying."

"You think so?"

"Of course it is. Even if it turns out challenging gyms isn't your thing, by doing them, you'll get to see different people. You could find something you really enjoy and want to pursue as a future career."

"That's a really cool idea to think about," Alex beamed as she started to get up. "I'll get dinner started."

"Once you're gone, I'm gonna have to get used to ordering takeout until this cast is gone," her mother joked.

"That's right, Professor Oak said that if you ever needed help, don't hesitate to ask him or Mrs. Oak."

"The man can barely cook!" she barked out laughing.

Alex was giggling as she walked into the kitchen, pulling pans and ingredients out to start cooking.

"This is probably the last time I'll get to make food like this for a while," she said to herself as she chopped vegetables.

That was one of the things her father insisted on teaching so she would know how to recognize certain edible vegetation. He also insisted that she try to keep the book he gave her for her birthday on hand to use as a reference.

He's gotta be so proud of her right now, wishing he could have been here to see her off with her mother.

After dinner and cleaning up, Alex started going through her bag to make sure she had everything she needed.

Once she was done, she climbed into bed, both excited and scared for tomorrow.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 0 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

* * *

 **I've finally come up with a real name for this run than calling it Nuzlocke Blue solely, though I guess there's always room for improvement.**

 **While a Nuzlocke, I have this set in the** ** _"anime"_** **verse. However, it is set about 20 years before Ash's timeline. Due to this, many familiar characters will be younger or not added depending on their age or what could be their age if not noted.**

 **For gym leaders, those that wouldn't be around in some manner would be replaced with a different character, prior gym leader(s) if existing or an OC to fit the proper roles. _(Help with their ages would be very appreciated)_**

 **Those who don't have a known surname or proper first name, I picked what looked common or seemed suitable. The names could change if I learn the actual names or a better one shows up.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	2. Chapter 2

When morning came, Alex quickly changed and ate breakfast before rushing off towards the lab. She didn't want to be late for something this important!

The moment she arrived, she immediately opened the door and walked in, almost jumping when a young man was suddenly there.

He was pretty average with auburn hair and dark eyes behind his glasses. He had a somewhat pale complexation, but not unhealthy from what she could tell. He was wearing a plain blue t-shirt and jeans. He didn't wear a lab coat, not that she blamed him given the weather.

Sitting on his shoulders was a pair of strange creatures. They were the same species, yet different based on the color of their fur. She wondered if it was related to the weird colored Pokémon Azure told her about yesterday.

"You must be Alex?" he asked with a friendly grin. "My name's Nicolas Elm."

"I am," she nodded. "Azure mentioned you were here to work for Professor Oak."

"That's right," he beamed. "It's a real honor to work someone as famous as him. I hope I can do him proud."

"I'm sure you will," Alex smiled as she followed him inside.

"I was told you're here to pick your first Pokémon. You must be really excited."

"I am, but I'm nervous too. I just hope whichever I pick will like me."

"I'm sure they will. They might not at first, but it's often because they're nervous. Once you show you're a friend, they'll quickly warm up."

"I really hope so. By the way, what kind of Pokémon are they? I've never seen anything like them before."

"Oh, they're called Sentret. They're pretty common in Johto, so I'm not surprised you haven't seen them prior," Elm explained. "The difference of climate makes it harder for some species to thrive. Any that do are ones that had been bred in captivity."

"That's so cool!" Alex awed. "But why does one look so different from the other?"

"It's a rare mutation in their genes where they look drastically different. In Johto, they've been classed as shinies due to the pigmentation and unique sheen they bear."

"So they can sparkle?"

"Sometimes, usually when coming out of a pokéball."

"Are there any other differences?"

"Besides their appearance? Nothing really. From what had been studied, they're pretty much the same Pokémon."

"Are they common in Johto?"

"No, I just happened to get really lucky getting him. I've gotten a lot of trainers wanting to trade for this one. Some even try to pay me."

"Are they that special?"

"I guess you could say that. A shiny Pokémon is more valuable than certain species of Pokémon. Maybe even more valuable than a legendary Pokémon."

"You think so?"

"At least with collectors. Not too sure about Pokémon trainers if they were to encounter one," Elm mused. "Given how rare shiny Pokémon are though, you can imagine how valuable certain ones could be like Dratini compared to a Caterpie or Sentret."

"That's really impressive. But I'm glad Sentret has you, you seem really nice."

"Thank you," Elm smiled as he scratched the pink tinted one's ear before going to the other.

"How did you meet them?"

"It was a couple of years ago. I graduated college and was doing some fieldwork to build up my reputation so I could become a proper apprentice. My brother helped me out since he was a far better trainer than myself. Since I hadn't trained my Pokémon as much as I should have, they weren't strong enough to protect me in some areas."

Elm paused at a desk that likely belonged to him. He opened a drawer, pulling an album out to show her different Pokémon he and his brother encountered.

At one point he pointed out a photo of him sitting with a large fluffy creature he said was called a Furret, a couple of brown eggs sitting on soft pillows.

"It was accidental, but I found this Furret pregnant and when I took her in, she later had eggs. I don't really know how or why given Sentret and Furret are mammals. I can understand if they were reptilian, amphibian, avian even."

"I never heard of that."

"I don't think anyone really knows. So I'm planning on furthering my research to study how Pokémon reproduce. I know some breeding centers explained some species would have live births, others having eggs. It would be interesting to find out why."

"I bet you'll figure it out," Alex reassured. "So both Sentret hatched from those eggs?"

"This one did," Elm grinned, gesturing the normal colored one. "This fella showed up in a different egg I found elsewhere."

"That's so cool!"

"Thanks," he laughed, the Pokémon chirping happily in response. "By the way, Alex, what do you plan on doing once you get your Pokémon?"

"I was thinking of signing up for the League Challenge."

"That's impressive. My brother's actually training to take on the gym leaders and the Silver Conference in Johto."

"That's great for him."

"He'd be taking on the gyms now, but he's dating a girl, so he wants to get to know her. She seems nice and really loves Pokémon."

"That's kind of how my parents met, but they were both trainers."

"Just another example of how great Pokémon are," Elm joked.

He put the album away, they decided to sit and chat some more, neither hearing the door open behind them. It was only until a body dropped in a chair near them that they looked up, seeing a concerned Azure.

"Are you okay, Azure?" Alex asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm good," he sighed, crossing his arms. "But we _may_ have to wait a while."

"Did something happen?"

"We were getting ready to head here when the phone rang. Dad answered it and was almost immediately out the door. He said there was a sick or injured Pokémon that needed his help. He told me to just head over to wait and let you know when you showed up."

"I hope the Pokémon's okay."

"Same." Azure let his gaze turn towards the other occupants, noticing the unfamiliar Pokémon. "I never saw Pokémon like those before."

Using this as a good distraction, Elm explained what he shared with Alex, not bothered hearing it again. She held back a giggle when seeing how wide her friend's eyes got hearing about it, asking questions periodically.

"That's so awesome!" Azure nearly yipped with joy. "I hope I can meet one of my own someday."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up too much. They aren't easy to find. You would have to be extremely determined and lucky to find one, _especially_ a wild one," Elm explained.

"I guess that's true, it wouldn't be a lot of fun trying to find something that may not exist in an area," Azure sighed. "Sucks that the law had to be in place now after learning about shiny Pokémon. It would be anyone's luck to find one and not be able to catch it."

"I know how you feel," Elm said, "I've actually been doing some research on shiny Pokémon to see if a loophole could be made regarding them."

"What do you mean?"

"After I got Sentret, I got curious and did further research on shiny Pokémon."

"What did you find?" Alex asked.

"Given the difference in their pigmentation, some don't get to live for very long as they would stand out to predators. The ones that do live longer are often ones that had been raised by humans, whether they were captured in a ball or simply tamed."

"That makes sense to protect them if they were at risk," Azure commented.

"There's more than that though. There are some cultures that may find them an omen, thus will try to chase them off or kill them as some kind of sacrifice. They may even feel they could be of good luck, but instead of keeping them as a partner, kill them for their parts to use as charms and such."

"That's awful," Alex gasped in horror.

"I know. Thankfully a lot of such practices are outlawed the more humanity has grown. But that doesn't mean they're all gone. We actually had recently dealt with such a problem a few years back with a species of Pokémon called Togetic. Any that were saved were transferred to a nature reserve in another region called Sinnoh."

"They sound cute."

"They are, before the poaching, Togetic and their pre-evolved form, Togepie were super popular with beginning trainers. They were often handed out as pets because of their cute appearance."

"I hope I can see one someday," Alex said.

"I'm sure you will if you decided to travel outside Kanto. I've heard from a few friends that Sinnoh's a beautiful place, so it might be worth checking out."

"Maybe," Alex laughed nervously.

The three talked some more, switching to different topics. It mostly consisted of them asking Elm about Johto, namely what kinds of Pokémon were on the album.

Periodically they would glance at the clock, finding it was getting later and later, knowing noon will have come and gone soon.

"What could be taking so long?" Azure muttered quietly, trying to hide his worry.

"I'm sure that he's on his way," Elm tried to reassure.

"Maybe one of us could look around to find him?" Alex offered. After taking a minute to think, she decided to stand up, starting to head for the door.

"Are you sure you want to go?" the older of the three asked.

"I don't mind," she smiled. "If the professor comes back before I do, could you let him know where I went?"

"Sure…" Elm started before Azure got up to join her.

"I'll come with you. I know a few spots he likes to go when he gets distracted with his poetry writing," the younger boy said.

"Thanks, Azure."

"Stay safe you two!" Elm called out, the two nodding as they left the building.

Once outside, Azure led to the first place he thought of, where his father had gone originally. It led them cutting through town, keeping their eyes peeled in case the professor was at one of the shops or talking with someone.

Reaching near the where Azure believes his father had gone, they found no signs, leaving him to think.

"So where next?" Alex asked as she wracked her brain as well.

"Give me a second," Azure muttered before a thought popped. "I think I have an idea."

Going to another part of town, they asked a few people, getting confirmation they saw the professor come through.

Reaching a line of trees, they began looking around, Azure the first to spot his father's coat, the man leaning against a tree.

"Dad!"

"Azure? Alex?" Oak blinked in surprise. "What are you two doing out here?"

Walking over to the pair, he was putting a small notebook into the pockets of his lab coat.

"You hadn't shown up and it's getting close to noon," Alex explained, the man looking bewildered as he looked at his watch.

"I'm so sorry, you two, I completely lost track of time," Oak apologized. "After we calmed the Pidgeot down and loaded it into the ambulance, I thought to take a stroll to destress. Then I sort of got a _little_ distracted."

"Let me guess, _poetry?_ " Azure teased.

His father immediately turned red in the face at getting caught, going redder when the boy started poking fun at him, leaving him unable to defend himself.

Laughing, Alex looked at the professor, "I'm glad to know you're okay and the Pidgeot will be okay too."

"Yeah, but I'm surprised you were distracted for so long writing poetry," Azure added as they started to make their way to the lab.

"To be honest, it wasn't just poetry to distract me," Oak admitted with a smile. "You know how a letter arrived from that carrier Pidgey?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I never got to open it because of the call. Once it was over though, I thought I'd take time to read it."

"So what was in it?"

At this, a large grin broke out, almost making him look like he was the one getting a Pokémon, not them. "I finally got approved."

"You…you did? It _actually_ went through? That's great! You'll finally get to have a ranch!" Azure cried out excitedly.

"That's right," Oak beamed, "now I can truly delve into my research studying Pokémon properly. I plan on asking some friends to help set things up so the Pokémon I'm studying and those belonging to trainers will get transferred."

"Where are you going to set up?"

"Right here in town. There's this nice old farm with a windmill at the top of a hill. I'm sure you remember it."

"Of course I do, it looks so cool. So you'll have your work done there?"

"Yes, while it's a bit further out from town, it has all this untouchable land. It'll be perfect for Pokémon to roam freely than kept in pokéballs constantly. However the place needs work, so I plan on hiring some contractors to come out to help spruce it up. Afterward, it'll be ready for moving in."

"Moving in? Wait, do you mean you're going to _live_ there?" Azure asked, torn between being happy and distraught.

"It would make sense to stay close to my work, but I don't plan on living up there alone. I intend to have your mother move in with me. And I would make sure there's a room for you whenever you chose to drop in for a visit."

"Does Mom know about this?"

"Of course she does, we've talked about this while I was getting approval."

"This is so cool!"

"Congratulations, Professor!"

"Thank you, you two."

They continued to talk, soon arriving at the lab, greeted by Elm and his Sentret.

The Johto Pokémon were thrilled to see the kids, jumping off their trainer's shoulders to greet them.

"So cute," Alex giggled. She held the normal Sentret, letting it snuggle into her. The shiny was running around Azure before climbing up to his shoulder to nuzzle into his face.

Chuckling softly at the scene, Oak turned to his protégé, "Nicholas, think you could get the Pokémon? I think they've waited long enough."

"Sure thing," the younger man nodded.

He got up, going to a separate room, coming out with a box, opening it to reveal three polished pokéballs. Each ball had the names of each Pokémon engraved; Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.

"Thank you," Oak smiled as he took them. He raised each one, calling all three Pokémon out for the kids to see and vice versa. "These are your choices, take your time picking."

Both stared at the Pokémon, going over to pet and check them out, letting the Pokémon sniff and explore.

"Hey, Dad, I've always wondered, why do most trainers start out with these guys? Why not use other Pokémon that share the same typing?" Azure asked as he gently patted Bulbasaur.

"Besides being more unique, they're raised specifically for young trainers. They're relatively young and easy to tame as you can see, but it takes a great deal of effort to raise them to their full potential."

"Knowing these guys were raised for us is really great to hear," Alex laughed as she joined Azure, looking at her choices. "But I still can't really pick which one I want though. I like Bulbasaur, but I like Charmander a lot too…"

"Chaar," the fire type yawned, blinking sleep out of its eyes. The other two followed suit, letting out yawns of their own.

"You must have just woken up, huh?"

"Appears so," Azure chuckled before finally making his choice. "I'll take Squirtle. What do you say, wanna team up?"

"Squir?" the turtle cocked its head before smiling widely. "Squirtle!"

It leaped into the boy's arms, nuzzling into the brunette as he fell to his butt laughing, hugging the affectionate Pokémon.

"Have you decided, Alex?" Oak asked, hoping he isn't pressuring her.

Looking at the two, Alex finally nodded, "Yeah, I'll take Charmander."

"I'm sure she'll be great with you," the older man smiled.

"Charmander's a girl?"

"Yes, I noticed when I was giving them their physical."

"What's Squirtle's sex then?" Azure asked.

"Squirtle's male," his father chuckled.

"Not every day you see a female starter," Elm laughed, "you're pretty lucky, Alex."

"She certainly is," Oak smiled as he handed the pokéballs over to their respective trainer. "Do either of you want to register a name to your Pokémon?"

"I'm good," Azure grinned.

"I'd like to name her Sienna, what do you think?" Alex asked, looking at the fire type with a smile.

"Char? Charmander! Char!" the fire lizard cried out excitedly.

She started dancing around, appearing to like the name given to her. The others couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm.

"Bulba?" the grass type looked around puzzled.

Oak knelt down to pat the Pokémon on the head, "Don't worry little guy. I know a few kids who might be interested taking you. You'll get your own adventure soon enough."

"Bulba!" it cried out happily.

"That's great to know Bulbasaur will get a home," Alex beamed, her new Pokémon chattering as well.

"Hey, Alex, you planning on taking on the League Challenge?" Azure asked as their Pokémon played.

The black haired girl nodded, "I thought it might be fun to try. And it'll be a great way to explore if I have to challenge gyms."

"Nice, I'm planning on signing up too," Azure grinned impishly. "Guess that means we'll be official rivals."

"Guess so," Alex laughed.

"That's wonderful to hear, you two," Oak congratulated. "You two are reminding me of when I first set out as a trainer."

"Me too," Elm laughed as his Pokémon joined the playful Pokémon. "It was a ton of fun when my brother and I first left home."

"What kind of Pokémon did you start with?" Azure asked.

"I started off with a Sentret like these two. Parker started with a Pokémon called Hoothoot. They lived in our backyard and we befriended them and decided to use them as our first Pokémon than picking a traditional starter."

"Did you challenge any gyms?"

"Yeah, but I ended up stopping," Elm said, his smiling falling. "Let's just say I had a bad experience when I was aiming for my seventh badge. Afterward, I just lost motivation and decided to stick to books than going again."

"I'm sorry that happened," Alex said, placing her hand over his.

"It's fine, I was still planning on becoming a researcher. I was using the League Challenge as an excuse to explore and study Pokémon, so I didn't really give up my dreams," Elm reassured with a small smile.

"What about your brother? Did he ever try going for the gyms?" Azure asked.

"He's taking his time and like I told Alex, he's got a girlfriend now, so he's taking it slow so he can hang out with her."

"That's cool," Azure smiled before turning towards his newly appointed rival. "Hey, Alex, wanna start our first day as trainers with a battle?"

"Wait, a battle? Here?" Alex blinked.

"Yeah, it'll give us a chance to see what Sienna and Squirtle are capable of and get comfortable giving orders."

"Shouldn't we go outside though? What if we break…"

"Then let's go!" Azure laughed as he grabbed her hand, dragging her out.

As they ran outside, their Pokémon hot on their heels, Oak and Elm were nearly doubled over laughing.

"You'd think he has a crush on her," Elm joked as he wiped a tear away.

"I really wouldn't put it past him. Azure's known Alex for a long time," Oak chuckled as they followed the kids.

He quickly recalled Bulbasaur into its pokéball so it doesn't get adventurous.

"So they're really good friends?"

"Pretty much best friends. Alex may be a couple years older, but she hasn't let it stop her from being his friend and vice versa."

"She's older than him? Did she somehow fail the trainer exam the first time around?"

"No, it was her choice to hold off for a couple of years. I think she did it, so she and Azure could start together. There aren't a lot of kids their age around here, let alone kids who've graduated this year."

"I think I understand how they feel. If Parker and I weren't so close in age, it would have been lonely for either of us going off on our own. She's a really sweet kid to hold off her journey like that."

"That she is."

They caught up with the newbie trainers, watching as they were already engaged in battle. Both could see they were studying one another for moves or signs to attack as well as studying the Pokémon.

However, the boy was brasher as was his Squirtle, the girls taking a more defensive stance to dodge blows. Any time the fire Pokémon got hit though, she'd retaliate with a fierce scratch or crashing their heads together.

"Keep growling, Sienna!" Alex called out, the fire type listening.

"Keep charging at her!" Azure ordered before noticing something, "Squirtle?"

While the turtle kept up his attacks, they were getting slower, exhaustion starting to set in after chasing the fire type around so much. It didn't help whenever struck with claws or tripped up with her tail.

"Mander!" the lizard cried out.

Sienna landed a strong blow on Squirtle, her attack looking more like a punch than an actual scratch. Regardless, it was enough to knock the water Pokémon out cold.

"Aww man, we lost," Azure groaned as he picked the Pokémon up. "I would have thought having type advantage would have helped even without water attacks."

"Take this as a learning experience," Oak started as he walked over to the two. "Type advantage isn't always the answer. While it helps, it doesn't guarantee a win. Think back to how the battle went. You went for a full assault, having Squirtle charge Sienna wildly to try and weaken her. However, Alex used Sienna's natural lithe and agility to her advantage to dodge most of the attacks, having her use Growl to lower Squirtle's attack."

"I see, that makes sense actually," Azure said, starting to feel better. "Then if I want to avoid making the same mistake, I'll need to strategize better!"

"You'll need it if you're planning on taking on the gyms," his father chuckled, patting the boy on the shoulder.

"Alright," Azure nodded before turning to Alex. "That was a good battle. Next time though, I promise you we'll be tougher. We won't lose so easily."

"Alright, then I'll make sure I get stronger too," Alex laughed as they shook hands, both grinning at each other.

"Before either of you head out, why not let your Pokémon rest for a moment? I have a machine set up so they can heal. We could even have ourselves some lunch while we wait."

"That's a great idea, I'm starving," Azure proclaimed.

"Thank you, Professor," Alex smiled.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 1 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**  
 **Sienna - Charmander**

* * *

I **wanted to create an interesting description of shinies even though they don't appear in the original games.**

 **Why I made this info was my own view based on Johto. It seems to be far more spiritual than Kanto and some of the other regions save for Alola, possibly Kalos as well.**

 **Then I looked at what species were present and rare and Togepi stood out based on what it is and how rare it is to find one in Johto without breeding. It may also have an explanation why wild Togepi can be found in the Battle Frontier in Sinnoh if memory serves correctly.**

 **This is also the same regarding shiny Pokémon if they're to be compared to albinism in our world, positively and negatively.**

 **Some parts of the world actually practice this where their view on albinos vary. If they're viewed as omens, they're likely chased away or often killed in gruesome manners. Other times, if they're viewed as forms of good luck, it's worse. There have been albino Africans who were attacked and had their limbs essentially cut off so the arms or legs could be used as aphrodisiacs or charms to ward off evil.**

 **The reason I'm aware of this is actually from a project I had to do in college where I had to study a specific subject in culture, so I picked studying the views on good luck/bad luck.**

 **Sorry for getting a little grim there, but figured an explanation would explain where I came up with this.**

* * *

 **For Professor Elm** **, I decided to give him a first name since I haven't seen any info revealing it. I _could_ have used his Japanese name, but I didn't think it would fit. The other reason I picked it was due to the fact that if this is set before he becomes a professor, then he would either have a different title like doctor or something, but he would probably prefer being called by his first name at that time.**

 **I also wanted to give Elm a family, again being much younger, he wouldn't have started a family yet or at least not have a child yet. But if he had been mentored by Professor Oak, then he likely was still single, that is if he's married. It was never shown in the anime, only the manga, and games.**

 **I made him a trainer since it seems to be something most people do. Whether he was actually aiming to be competitive or not, who knows. Far as I know, nothing has been said about his younger days. The closest is maybe based on some of the Pokémon he's seen owning in the anime.**

 **Cookies for anyone who might realize the little easter egg I put in regarding the family bit though.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	3. Chapter 3

After lunch, Oak talked with Alex and Azure, mostly reminders on laws and make certain they don't push their Pokémon too far. Afterward, he let them go, waving them off with a big smile as did Elm and his Sentret.

Azure had taken off for his house, wanting to show his mom before leaving town than letting his dad tell her. Alex decided to do the same with her mom, uncertain how long she may be away. It wouldn't seem fair not to show her in person than waiting until she reached Viridian City to call her.

"Hi, Mom," Alex greeted as she walked in.

Her mother was on crutches, her Mankey helping her carry a tray of food to the couch.

"Did you forget something?" she asked.

"No, I wanted to show you my new Pokémon," the girl smiled, holding up her ball. Pressing the button, the lizard came out. "Her name's Sienna."

"She's so cute! And a female starter no less? That's quite unheard of; they're often kept at the breeding centers. If there are any, they're either requested or found wild."

"Maybe she got mixed in or they had a lot of female Charmander?" Alex shrugged.

"Who knows, still lucky," her mom laughed. "So are you excited for your adventure?"

"I am, but I'm a little scared to."

"I know the feeling when I first started. So long as you and Sienna stick together, you'll be just fine."

"I know, it's just so weird to finally have my own pokéball than a rental from the school or borrowing yours or Dad's for practice."

"But it must be nice, right?"

The girls sat down together, the Pokémon chattering in the background, Mankey showing Sienna around.

"It really is, Azure and I even had our first battle together."

"Really? Which of you won?"

"I did actually, but Azure took it pretty well. He's even going to sign up for the Indigo League too, so we'll be rivals."

"Just be careful, having a rival is good, but there are trainers who take it too seriously. Make sure you keep it fun and if you can help Azure keep it fun as well."

"I'll try my best."

Taking a bit more, Alex eventually said her goodbyes as did her mother before leaving, Sienna called back into her ball.

Walking for a few minutes, she eventually reached the edge of town.

She looked around for signs of Azure but didn't see him.

As much as she wanted to wait for him, part of her felt he likely already went ahead. He lived closer to the edge of town than she did. Plus, he was really excited to head out far more than she was.

So she took a deep breath and began the long walk towards Viridian City. She kept her eyes peeled for any wild Pokémon that may choose to attack her.

Thankfully the path she was taking was popular and well traversed. She took this path a lot as a kid with her parents when they wanted to head to the city by foot. The only time she was ever driven there was for school.

She recalled asking why one time, her father telling her that by foot, it could take about a day and a half due to the foliage and obviously wild Pokémon. Of course, that's only if one stuck to the trail. If they didn't, it could take four days to a week to reach Viridian City.

It certainly felt different being on her own. It was exciting at the thought of this newfound independence, but terrifying as well. Before, if something happened, she had her parents and the Oaks to help her. Now she has to rely on her own strength and the strength of her Pokémon to keep her safe.

A sudden rustle in the grass made her jump, hand instinctively going for Sienna's ball, ready unsure whether to throw it or simply run. Would Sienna be able to handle the fight? What if the Pokémon was really strong, possibly carnivorous?

When a Pidgey suddenly flew out, going overhead and off to somewhere, Alex almost started laughing in relief, her hands shaking.

"Maybe I should have asked Azure about traveling together before we went to our houses?" she said nervously.

Realizing her hand was still on the ball, an idea popped into her head. She unhooked it from her belt and gave a toss, releasing the fire type.

"Char?" Sienna cocked her head after looking who she's to battle but found no potential opponents.

"Sorry, I thought maybe we could walk together?" Alex apologized, kneeling down to her Pokémon's level. "To be honest, I'm a little-scared walking by myself."

"Char!" Sienna gave a big smile, leaning up to nuzzle against her trainer.

"Glad you're okay with that," she laughed, hugging the Pokémon. "But this might turn out as a good thing. It'll give us a chance to bond more."

"Charmander, char!"

"Let's get going then," the young girl grinned, feeling more confident.

With renewed confidence, they began marching through the grassy fields and familiar dirt paths.

For now, Alex had no intention of straying, maybe after she's reached Viridian City and restocked and got Sienna healed, she might return to explore more. By then she hopes to have some pokéballs and more potions even for her Pokémon.

 _"I wonder if Azure's letting Squirtle walk with him?"_ she wondered before giggling to herself. "Bet he is, he really seemed happy about picking Squirtle."

"Mand?"

"Sorry, was thinking about Azure and Squirtle," she explained with a grin. "They look like they'll make a really great team. Hopefully, we'll do the same."

"Char!" Sienna cheered, hopping around her trainer.

Alex couldn't help but laugh before something darted in front of them, revealing to be a Rattata.

"Oh wow, it looks really cute. I wish I had some pokéballs to catch it."

The purple rat didn't seem to notice them right away until Sienna's dancing led to a twig snapping, having it look up. It got spooked and ran off, leaving the pair alone once more.

Traveling further along, more Pokémon began to show up. Most ran or played with Sienna, others were a little more hostile, trying to attack them.

After fighting several of these Pokémon, Sienna suddenly breathed out some small flames, chasing a Pidgey off.

"That's great, Sienna, you learned Ember!" Alex squealed. She ran over to her Pokémon, hugging the lizard, feeling her scaly head rub against her face.

"Char, charmander char!" the lizard yipped with joy.

When released from the hug, she fired out a few more small flames into the air. Judging the amazed look on her face, she liked how they looked.

Looking up, Alex's smile grew wider after discovering a sign, reading it excitedly. "This is great; we're almost to Viridian City. Once we're there, we can get you healed up at the Pokémon Center. Maybe even get some potions, pokéballs too."

"Char?"

"If we have pokéballs, then we can get more Pokémon. Not only would we be getting more teammates, but it'll make us stronger."

"Char!"

"Thought you'd like that."

Knowing how close they were now, Alex quickened her pace, mindful not to go too fast for Sienna's sake. She could hear the Pokémon hot on her heels, surprisingly keeping up with her even after all those battles.

Spotting the security booth, Alex slowed down so Sienna didn't fall behind.

"Oh, hey there," the officer stationed greeted with a friendly smile, "is that your Charmander?"

"Yeah, this is Sienna."

"Cute name," the older woman smiled as she walked over. A Growlithe followed her side, sniffing the fire type, the pair seemingly getting along. "Don't mean to be a bother, but could I see your license?"

"Sure," Alex nodded.

She pulled out a wallet from her pocket, taking the piece of plastic out, handing it to the officer as she scanned it.

"Alright, everything seems to be in order. Sorry for bothering you, you don't see a lot of kids walking around with a Charmander."

"I just got her today."

"Congratulations," the officer beamed. "Do you need help getting to the Pokémon Center by any chance?"

"I know the way, thank you," Alex thanked, the officer nodding as she returned to her station.

"Alright, if you have any problems, don't hesitate to get me or call the police."

"I will. Have a good day."

"You too."

Waving goodbye, Alex continued on, Sienna keeping close as she looked around at the buildings coming into view.

"Chaaar…" she awed.

"That's right, this must be your first time in a city," Alex said, turning to her Pokémon. "There are a lot of other cities than here. I'm sure there are some as small as Pallet Town and others even bigger than here and Pewter City!"

Her partner let out an excited cry, eager to explore more, making the young girl laugh, glad she chose Sienna for her energy.

Eventually, they came upon a large white building with an enormous pokéball decoration and the letter P painted below on the roof. In a lot of ways, the building looked more like a concert hall than a Pokémon Center.

Going inside, it was surprisingly empty, only a handful of trainers lounging about with their Pokémon. Walking up to the front desk, Alex was greeted by the nurse working there, recognizing her immediately.

"Hi, Alex, how are you?" Nurse Joy asked sweetly.

"I'm good, I finally became a trainer today," Alex stated before picking her Pokémon up. "This is Sienna; Professor Oak gave her to me."

"That's wonderful and she's so cute!"

"Thank you."

"Would you like me to fix her up?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright, just hand her and her pokéball over and I'll patch her up in a jiffy."

"Thank you," Alex smiled. Setting Sienna down, she returned her to the pokéball, the fire lizard reassured she'll be let out later. Afterward, she handed the ball over to the nurse, the woman gesturing for a Chansey to come over.

"Chansey, think you could get Alex's Charmander healed up? I'd like to talk with her for a bit."

"Chansey!" the Pokémon cried out, taking the ball and hurrying off.

"What did you want to tell me about?"

"Just a few pointers to share since you're now a trainer," Nurse Joy grinned.

"Alright."

Nurse Joy stepped out from behind the counter, gesturing for them to sit, making sure she faced the front in case of a problem

"Now I'm sure you know this, but in case you're uncertain, thanks to the Pokémon League, all Pokémon Centers' services are free. Anything you do pay would be from using the vending machines or doing laundry. But medical treatment, food, and lodgings are all free."

"That's great to hear."

"I'm glad, however, there _is_ a small handful that does charge, but they're ones that are more isolated, thus get little traffic. Others are in areas with a high concentration of Pokémon coming in sick and injured, thus are often running low on supplies and need to purchase more faster than the League can provide. If you do encounter a Center that does charge, make certain to find these stickers."

Nurse Joy pulled out a small folder she brought, showing Alex a bright green sticker, the text reading: **_This Pokémon Center will charge a small fee for…_**

Below it was several lines listing medicine, lodging, and food, each with a blank checkbox next to them.

"They're placed at the front door and behind the desk visible to trainers."

"What happens if they don't have it and they're still charging?"

"Don't say anything. If your Pokémon isn't badly hurt, immediately leave and find the nearest town to call the police. They'll look into it and determine if things are legit or not. We don't want trainers getting hurt unnecessarily, do you understand?"

"I do, thank you, Nurse Joy."

"You're welcome, so what do you plan on doing?"

"I was thinking about signing up for the Pokémon League Challenge."

"That's great to hear. If you'd like, I could help you register here."

"Really?"

"Of course," Nurse Joy smiled as she got up, gesturing for the girl to follow her back to her desk. "Just hand me your trainer license and I'll have it all set up in a few minutes."

"Thank you."

"While you wait for your Pokémon and the registration, why don't you check out this pamphlet? It'll explain the basics of how gyms work and a list of the known ones available this year."

"Thank you so much."

"It's no problem."

Smiling, Alex accepted the pamphlet, returning to the chair to read, eagerly waiting for both her Pokémon and word that she's signed up.

After a few minutes, a ding echoed, signifying a Pokémon is healed, the black haired girl looking up to see Nurse Joy waving her over. Next to her was Chansey holding a tray designed to hold pokéballs, a single one sitting in the slot.

Getting up and walking over, the nurse handed the ball over. "Here you go; she should be all healed up now. I have to say, your Charmander is a very healthy Pokémon, you're quite a lucky young lady."

"Thank you."

"Also, your registration went through, so you can challenge gyms now. Here's a case to store your badges."

"Thank you again. Take care, Nurse Joy."

"Take care of yourself as well, Alex."

Giving a final wave, Alex went outside, feeling refreshed despite Sienna being the one to get treated. Walking around town, aiming to get to the Pokémon Mart, she noticed some trainers let their Pokémon follow. They were mostly small ones, a few larger ones like Machoke following their respective trainers.

Part of her wondered if she should do the same, taking Sienna's ball in her hand.

"Why not?" she giggled, calling her partner out.

"Char?"

"Thought you'd like to stretch your legs? It looks like a lot of other trainers do the same for their Pokémon. Of course, if it starts to rain, you're going back into your ball."

"Charmander!" Sienna nodded, happy to be allowed out again.

Spotting the store, Alex turned to her Pokémon, "You see that building over there? That's the market. They sell all sorts of things from groceries and clothes to medicines and other cool stuff a trainer would want. It's really convenient for all sorts of people."

"Derr?" the Pokémon purred. She was clearly enjoying being talked to, clearly listening to every word spoken with clear fascination.

"This is where we'll buy some potions and pokéballs so we can get more friends. We can also buy more food when we need it."

"Chaaar."

Giggling, Alex walked up to the door, letting Sienna go in first before following, telling her Pokémon to stay close.

Immediately she lit up seeing the store clerk, recognizing him as did he when took notice.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite customer's daughter," he joked. "What brings you here, Alex?"

"I was hoping to get a few things. I finally became a trainer," she explained.

"Really? That's great, so I'm guessing that Charmander belongs to you then?"

"Uh-huh, this is Sienna."

"That's a pretty name for your Pokémon, made a good choice for her."

"Thanks."

"Hey Alex," the clerk spoke up, catching the girl before she could start shopping. "Think you could do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Well, I know you just left Pallet Town, but I was wondering if you could bring something to Professor Oak. My delivery boy called in sick and I don't have anyone else available right now."

"Sure, I could bring it to Professor Oak."

"Thank you so much, Alex, you're a lifesaver."

"No problem," Alex smiled as the man retrieved the package.

"Here you go," he said, handing a small box over.

Alex took it, carefully putting it into her bag, "Before I head out, do you know where the potions and pokéballs are located?"

"Ah, sorry, my stock boy's unloading the balls right as we speak. If you'd like, as part of my thanks, I'll ask him to save a few for you."

"That's really nice of you, thank you. What about potions though?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you there," the man laughed nervously. "Some trainers came in here a few hours ago and cleaned me out. I've ordered more, but it's on back order."

"Oh…"

"How about this, I'll give you this voucher for a discount on potions and any other medicines we might be out of here for the next store. Least I can do."

"Okay, thank you… But are you sure?"

"I've had to hand them out pretty much nonstop, mostly to new trainers or any unfamiliar faces I see."

"Thank you again."

"Sorry again."

"It's okay; hopefully you'll get them in soon."

"Same."

With that knowledge, Alex decided to buy whatever she needed that was available, finding a lot was purchased. Mostly in the trainer section, spotting several employees busily restocking what they had.

After paying, she left with Sienna by her side, making her way out of town and back towards Pallet Town. However, she walked slower as worry wracked her brain.

"Char?" the Pokémon whined softly, upset over her trainer's depression.

"Sorry, Sienna," Alex apologized, pausing to pat her Pokémon on the head. "We'll just have to be more careful until they get more medicine stocked or we reach Pewter City. Until then, we'll just use the Pokémon Center in Viridian to heal you and anyone else we find."

"Charmander, char!" Sienna cried out. She pumped her clawed fist into the air, the action she copied from other trainers and their Pokémon.

"You're a great Pokémon, you know that?"

"Char!"

After about three hours on their return trip, the fire type had battled various Pokémon that tried attacking them. She beat them all by knocking them out or chasing them off.

At some point, Alex decided they should sit and rest. She pulled out some snacks they could eat, sharing her water with Sienna. While Charmander may be a fire type, even _they_ need water to keep hydrated just like any other animal.

Glancing at the sky, Alex made a small frown, knowing by the time they've returned to Pallet Town, it'll be evening.

"I wonder how Azure and Squirtle are doing?" she wondered out loud. She continued to stare at the sky lazily, hand resting on Sienna's head, rubbing it gently.

"Maan," the Pokémon yawned, nuzzling into the girl's lap.

"I hope they'll be okay," she whispered, giving her partner a worried look. "I mean, I know he's the son of Professor Oak, so he's not stupid. But with Team Rocket lurking, who knows what could happen."

"Char char, charmander," Sienna purred. She stretched herself as far as she could to lean her face against her trainer's nuzzling against her.

"Right, I shouldn't think like that," Alex sighed, a small smile forming. "Azure's tough, he and Squirtle fought really hard against us. And I bet he'll be even stronger and have really cool Pokémon to protect himself and Squirtle. And he isn't crazy enough to tackle on people like Team Rocket."

"Char!"

"Alright, we should get going if we want to get back home before dark."

As Alex started getting up, she gave Sienna a look, seeing she looked a little tired, guessing it was from all the battling.

"Sienna, would you like to be in your pokéball? Or rather I carry you instead?"

"Chaa…" the Pokémon yawned loudly. She stretched her arms up as her answer.

"Okay then," she laughed, willing to spoil her Pokémon a little.

Not only had her partner won every single battle they've had against wild Pokémon, but she also won their official trainer battle too. She earned getting carried, especially now before the time came when she'll eventually evolve. Alex had doubts she'll be able to carry her afterward.

By the time they returned to Pallet Town, the sun had set, stars sparkling in the sky.

Given how late it got, whether the professor was still awake or not, she felt it was better to go straight home. She could deliver the package in the morning. Plus she and Sienna will be fully refreshed to start back out again afterward.

Heading to her house and getting inside with the key, having decided to keep it for emergencies.

She greeted her mom, telling her what was going on and that they'll be spending the night.

Her mom was thrilled, the two talking about what happened before it was time for bed.

"Night, Sienna," Alex yawned, pulling her sheets up.

She rested on her stomach so she could peek over the side at her Pokémon. The fire type was currently curled up in a cozy basket, the blanket flameproof, courtesy of her mom.

"This is probably going to be our last time in Pallet Town for a while. Maybe even in such cozy beds too, so let's enjoy it, okay?"

"Chaaaaar," the lizard yawned softly as the two eventually fell fast asleep.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 1 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander**

* * *

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Morning, Professor Oak. Morning, Nicholas," Alex greeted with a smile, feeling refreshed as did her Pokémon.

Between getting a great night sleep and a healthy breakfast, they were full of energy.

"Alex, what brings you back?" Oak greeted happily.

He was surprised to see her back so soon, though smiled brighter when seeing the fire type following right behind her.

"I see Sienna's really grown on you," he commented.

"She really has," she grinned.

"Char!" the fire type grinned as well, tail swishing excitedly.

"Good morning, Alex," Elm greeted as he set a stack of papers down. His Sentret were dancing around his feet as they chased one another. "You're letting Sienna walk with you?"

Alex nodded, "When I was in Viridian City, I saw some other trainers doing the same thing. I thought it might be fun. Plus, she seems to really like walking with me."

"Maaan…" the fire type purred when her trainer knelt down to pet her.

"I know I probably won't be able to have her follow me everywhere, especially when she becomes a Charizard, but for now, I really enjoy having the company. Same for any other Pokémon I get down the road."

"That's quite alright, I've had Pokémon follow me when I was younger," Oak reassured.

"I can't help but wonder if having a Pokémon travel outside of its ball has an impact on their growth," Elm wondered.

"You never know," the professor shrugged.

"It would be pretty neat if it did," Alex hummed softly. Almost immediately, she remembered the package she had. "Oh, that's right! Professor, I have something for you. It was a package from the clerk in Viridian City. He asked me to bring it to you since their delivery guy was sick."

"Package? Oh, that's right, I've been expecting it," Oak laughed. "I was actually getting ready to send Nicolas out to get it for me if it wasn't here by noon."

"Could I ask what…" Alex started before someone came running in. "Hi, Azure."

"Yo," the boy greeted, giving his father a quizzical look. "So what was so important you wanted to call me here?"

"Funny thing about that, I was originally going to ask you to help me find Alex and bring her here. However, it appears that fate had plans to bring here anyway," Oak chuckled. "Come with me, you too, Nicholas, I planned this out for you as well."

"Really?"

Nodding, the professor guided them over to a table, taking the package from Alex.

Opening it up and taking the protective wrapping out and off several red devices.

"What are they?" the girl asked.

They were small, the metal casing well-polished, a large, blue, bubble-like glass in the upper left corner. There were three smaller ones in red, yellow, and green next to it. The strange item looked as if it could open, the professor doing just that, displaying a screen and various buttons inside.

"It's been something I've been working on for many years, something that might become my greatest invention. I call it the Pokédex."

"What do they do?"

"Think of these as computerized encyclopedias for every Pokémon that is native to Kanto. It has various Pokémon recorded to help you learn about them. It will also tell you where some could be found, as well as facts you may not be aware of. It will also inform you of their typing, their attacks, anything that would be beneficial to trainers."

"That's really cool, so this is what you and Mom have been working on?" Azure asked excitedly.

"That's correct. She helped make the proper blueprints to ensure that it'll work before I had them sent off to a friend in Silph Co. to actually build them. For myself, I've been compiling years and years of data I and another colleague from Sea Foam Islands have collected."

"This is really amazing!" Alex asked, staring at the devices in awe. "Does it also read data on other Pokémon not native to Kanto? Like Sentret or Hoothoot? Maybe even tell us of possible shiny Pokémon?"

"Not yet I'm afraid," Oak laughed, giving her a pat on the back. "These are just prototypes, so they don't have as much memory as I would like them to have right now. I'm hoping to expand it further once they've been given a proper field test. If all goes well, I would say that the Pokédex will become a huge hit for trainers everywhere."

"That's really awesome."

"Professor, how did you come up with this?" Elm asked.

"To be honest, I can't really remember what inspired me to come up with it. It was many years ago when I was traveling through Johto. I was about your age actually, Azure," Oak answered as he tried to recall the memory. "The most I do remember was seeing a couple of very rare Pokémon and encountering a unique trainer, but that was about it. If I manage to remember or remember some key pieces, I'll be sure to share it with the three of you if you're interested."

"Sure, that'd be great," Alex smiled with the other two nodding.

"It's still really cool. But why did you want us here?" Elm asked as he looked up at his mentor.

"Well, this is up to you, but I would like you three to each take one and use them. I want you to give them the necessary field test that they need."

"A-are you sure? What if they break?" the young man stuttered, the kids looking just as surprised.

"That's exactly the point," Oak laughed. "I requested only the best materials used to ensure they're protected given what they'll be used for and who'll use them. However, nothing is absolute and there's always a chance that what I wanted or specified may not have been used."

"What do you mean?" Azure asked.

"Mostly any materials that I asked to be used for wires or casings were replaced with something else that may or may not hold up as well. I gave some leeway for them to do what they could to make them not only functioning but lightweight and avoid overheating."

"I think I get it, so you want us to take them not only to see how well they work but how well they endure rough travels?" Alex said, seeing the man nod.

"That's exactly it. Each of you has a reason to head out into the world. You and Azure are both going to be challenging the gyms, so you'll be traveling all over Kanto. You'll be traveling through different terrains and weather conditions, which will test out how well they handle getting wet and going through sudden temperature changes."

"But couldn't you have essentially done that here using different Pokémon?" Azure asked curiously.

"I could, but I think better results would be gotten this way. Plus by giving them to you, you can actually _use_ them to scan Pokémon you encounter to learn more about them."

"This is really cool," Azure awed as he picked up one of the devices. "I'll do my best to help you out."

"Same here," Alex smiled as she took the other one.

"But what could I do though to help? I'm here to study, not challenge gyms or anything like that," Elm explained nervously, uncertain whether to take the final one or not.

"That may be true, but remember, even as a researcher, there may be times you need to go outside to do fieldwork. There might even be errands I might send you on between retrieving valuable data to delivering important papers."

"I see, thank you for entrusting us, Professor," Elm smiled brightly, taking the last one.

"By the way, what happens if we somehow lost ours or it got stolen?" Alex asked, the guys agreeing.

"Just treat it as you would any other valuable you own. If it were stolen or even lost, report it to the police. However, I don't want _any_ you putting your lives in jeopardy over these, even if it was stolen by a Rattata. They're replaceable, you kids aren't."

"Anything else we should know about them?" Azure asked, carefully pocketing the Pokédex in his jeans.

"One of the features installed onto them is a miniature map. It should help you have a general idea of where you are. However, I can't guarantee how accurate they'll be. So be certain to keep an _actual_ map on you in case the one on the Pokédex is inaccurate. This is also the same map that will be used to show the general locations of certain species of Pokémon habitats."

"So it would show where we could find a Pokémon like Vulpix or Venonat?"

"Yes, but if you're uncertain if their locations are correct, don't be afraid to try and call me or talk with other trainers in the area."

"Would we have to take notes or something?" Alex asked.

"Not at all. These Pokédexes have a feature similar to a black box you'd find on planes and ships. It'll record everything that goes through, both good and bad alike. But if you wanted to, that's perfectly fine."

"That's really neat."

"Indeed it is," Oak chuckled softly. "Once enough data has been collected, I'll use that to fine tune them and start working on an official Pokédex."

"That's amazing, and by doing this, we'd be a huge help to your research," Azure grinned widely, clearly excited by this opportunity.

"Professor, if you plan on adding more data for the official Pokédex, I'd like to help out as well if that's okay. I could have some papers brought in to compile notes and such for future upgrades," Elm offered. "I think something like this would be amazing to have for the Johto region, and we have just as many crazy terrains if not more than Kanto."

"That would be wonderful. I'm hoping that if all goes well, I'd be able to share this with other professors in other regions."

"Really?" Azure wondered, giving his father a look.

"As you and Alex have seen, there are far more Pokémon than what you've studied. And I'm certain there are even more species we've yet to encounter. There may even be other forms of evolution to the ones we know of."

"I can only imagine how different they must be," Alex giggled.

"They certainly are, my cousin has shared some information about a few unique species from where he's been," Oak said with a pleased smile.

"Do you think the Pokédex could be upgraded where it'll hold the data of _all_ species of Pokémon?" his son asked.

"Maybe someday, but I can't be certain. New species are discovered every day from ancient fossils to new regions opening their doors to foreigners."

"I'm sure you'll succeed!" Alex beamed, the other two nodding.

"Thank you," Oak laughed, glancing at the clock. "You two should get going if you want to get back to Viridian City before nightfall.

"Alright then," Azure nodded as he ran for the door. "Don't worry, Dad, I'll make sure to give the Pokédex a workout of a lifetime. _And_ I'll work on becoming one of the best trainers in Kanto!"

Immediately, the boy was gone, a huge smile on his face, Alex standing there a little surprised by his burst of energy.

Before she started to head for the door as well, she turned to Oak when he started chuckling, giving her and Elm a smile.

"Alex, I know you and Azure are essentially rivals, but could you make sure he'll be okay? I'm not asking for you two to travel together, but if you can, be there for him if something happened to him."

"Of course I will, Professor. Azure would do the same for me," Alex nodded much the man's relief.

"I'm glad to hear that," he smiled. "You have a good heart. You don't know how much it means to me, to Anne, Azure even to have you as a friend."

"Thank you, Professor," she smiled as she turned to leave. "I should get going…"

"If you could wait a moment," Oak started as he went over to a desk, pulling an old map out. "By any chance do you have one of these?"

"I was thinking of getting one at the store in Viridian City. How come?"

"How about something better than a store bought one?"' the older man grinned. "I've already given Azure one, but this is a spare back from my days as a trainer."

He handed the well-kept map to the girl, seeing her eyes light up at the gift, "Th-thank you so much!"

"It's no problem at all. If you open it up, you'll see some old marks I made from some spots I've traveled through. They're mostly areas I had been and found to have unique Pokémon to catch or gyms I battled. While it's been many years, I don't think things have changed too much, so this should be able to guide you well. If you happen to find new places or find new things that are different, don't be afraid to make notes on it."

"I'm sure it'll help me a ton. Thank you again, Professor. I'll be sure to take good care of it," Alex beamed as she hugged the professor.

"I know you will," he laughed as he returned the gesture. "Take care of yourself and try to have fun out there."

"I will, and thank you again for everything!"

Alex pulled away, running out the door as Azure had, her Charmander at her heels. Both looked more excited than when they first left, the trainer waving goodbye.

"I really hope they'll be okay," Elm said as she was out of sight.

"They'll face hardships as anyone would, but they'll pull through," the older man reassured.

"How are you sure?"

"Azure's a tough kid and Alex is stronger than she looks. Both of them adore Pokémon and I know they'll treat them well. In return, their Pokémon will protect them with all they have."

"What about this Team Rocket I've heard about though?"

Oak's smile faded hearing the group, "It is troublesome that they became trainers with Team Rocket so active, but it wouldn't be fair to deny them this chance. So long as they keep away and know to get the police, they'll be fine."

"I certainly hope so," Elm sighed worriedly.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 1 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander**

* * *

 **I apologize for this chapter is on the shorter side. I couldn't think of what else to put without stretching it unnecessarily.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	5. Chapter 5

When returning to Viridian City, Alex chose to leave Sienna at the Pokémon Center so she could heal up. During their return trip, they had taken their time to train so the fire type would get stronger, finding she was eager to battle.

She figured she could go the store and stock up on what they needed, for the time being, so informed Nurse Joy so she wouldn't worry.

Reaching the Pokémon Mart, the young girl took her time getting what she needed, not wanting to rush and buy unnecessarily.

Once she was done and had everything paid for, she made her way back to the Pokémon Center, greeted by the nurse who gave her Sienna's ball.

Thanking her, Alex called the Pokémon out when they were outside.

"Feeling better, Sienna?" she asked, picking her up.

"Char!"

"Good to hear."

The pair began to explore the city before thinking about returning to the fields for more training. Alex was thinking of maybe swinging by the school to ask about catching Pokémon since it wasn't something she never fully understood. She had an idea, but would rather talk to someone than guess and waste balls.

"Excuse me, young lady. You're a new trainer, correct?" an old man questioned as he shuffled towards the two.

"Yes, I started yesterday," she answered, unconsciously picking Sienna up.

"Have you captured any Pokémon yet?"

"No, I was thinking of swinging by the school to ask one of the teachers."

"Nonsense, why have some windbag _tell_ you when you can be _shown_ by an old pro."

"Really?"

"Of course," he answered as he guided her near the Viridian Forest border. "You've battled Pokémon before, correct?"

"Yeah, it's the basics to help a Pokémon learn to control their actions, attacks, as well as help them grow stronger."

"Smart girl," the old man grinned as he called out a female Nidoran. "Tilly, flush out a Pokémon if you could."

"Ni!" the blue Pokémon cried out, rushing into the grass, forcing a Weedle out of hiding.

"Scratch it!"

With a battle cry, the Pokémon did so, clawing at the venomous bug a few times, nearly knocking it out cold.

"As you can see, when a wild Pokémon has been weakened, they're likely not to resist capture," the old man explained as he pulled an empty ball out, throwing it towards the bug.

With a few wiggles, the ball stopped, the flashing red light stopping as well.

"Once that light stops flashing, the Pokémon has given up fighting and is all yours."

"That's so cool!"

"But be warned though, with the laws in place, a kid like you gets only one shot. So be sure you know what you want before you make your claim."

"I know, Sir," Alex replied as she watched him fetch the ball, calling his Pokémon back into her ball.

"Another piece of advice I'm sure will help you with catching Pokémon. Aside from weakening them, status ailments help too. Paralyzing, burning, putting them to sleep, and while risky, poisoning them has helped many trainers. Just be sure to have the proper medicines in case you're too far from a Pokémon Center."

"I will, I promise. Thank you so much for the help. I really appreciate it."

"Not a problem my dear, I don't mind helping new trainers out if they need it."

"Umm… Sir, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"I heard rumors about an odd colored Pokémon over in the Viridian Forest, is there any truth to it?"

"I think I've heard some kids chattering up a storm about it. But to be honest, I've never seen such a Pokémon myself. All I know is that it's supposedly a shade of orange or something never seen before on a Pokémon native in that old forest."

"I see."

"If you're thinking of going in there, while I'm sure your Charmander could handle a lot of the bug types, there are other Pokémon that may prove too much. You might want to hold off and try to get more Pokémon around here first."

"Alright, thank you again."

Parting ways, Alex decided she should try her hand getting a Pokémon. She would try to use the same method the old man had shown her to catch whatever catches her eye.

After making sure Sienna was fit and ready to go, she started to make her way to the outskirts of town.

"I wonder what I should get, Rattata or Pidgey?" she wondered, going over the Pokémon she felt she had a chance catching.

She's seen other species around, but a lot of them were deeper in the forest and some looked like they were too strong for her to try and catch.

"Let's see, Rattata and Raticate are really fast and have really strong jaws. But their defenses are pretty flimsy; I wouldn't want to risk putting it in danger because of that. Pidgey is about the same in terms of defense along with Pidgeotto. But they hit much faster and harder compared to most. And they evolve into Pidgeot and their defenses are a lot sturdier by then, plus they can be used as transport. That could really help with traveling if I can't walk or find a bus to take me."

"Der?" The fire type looked up at her trainer in confusion.

"Sorry about that, just talking to myself about what we could catch," Alex apologized sheepishly. "But I've decided what we should get. We're going to catch ourselves a Pidgey! But if we can, I want to try and catch one that's by itself, not part of some flock. It'll be safer that way, think you could help me out?"

"Char!"

"Awesome, let's get going!"

Excited, they hurried into the field, the fire lizard fighting anything she found to be completely alone.

However, each time she attacked, the blows were too much, chasing the Pokémon off before Alex could even ready a pokéball.

"Guess I over trained you, huh?" Alex laughed nervously after a Rattata ran off for the seventh time.

"Char…" the Pokémon gave a concerned look.

"It's not your fault," she reassured, patting her on the head. "We won't give up until we find a Pokémon."

"Charmander, char!" Sienna lit up.

Not long after, they noticed a Pidgey landing not far from them, appearing to be alone.

"Alright, try to hold back, okay?" Alex said, the Pokémon nodding. "Use Scratch now!"

"Char!" the fire type cried out, charging at the bird.

To their surprise, the Pokémon dove out the way, but instead of tackling the Charmander, dove straight for her trainer.

"Crap!" Alex yelped as she ducked, feeling the wind when it sped overhead. "Sienna knock him out of the sky!"

"Chaar!"

She let loose with a steady stream of flames, the bird showing surprising agility, using the trees to take the hit.

"Don't use any more fire attacks!" Alex ordered, her Pokémon already stopping. "What could we do to catch it?"

She couldn't have Sienna keep attacking; the Pidgey's clearly a lot smarter and more seasoned facing trainers to attack her instead of focusing on Sienna. Her Pokémon would just get tired trying to chase it and fire attacks were out of the question. A few small flames here and there is one thing, but if they got reckless, they'll start a forest fire.

Managing to dodge another swipe by the wild Pokémon, a thought came to Alex. It was risky and probably stupid, but it was the only thing she could think of.

Waiting for it to make another dive, she lunged at the surprised bird, tackling each other to the ground.

"Got you!" Alex declared before yelping when the Pidgey pinched her arm with his beak.

She let go out of instinct, barely having time to nurse her arm before the bird let out what sounded like a battle cry. Looking up at it, she saw it wore what looked like annoyed scowl as it flapped overhead.

Flying higher, the bird suddenly dove, aiming straight for the dark-haired girl.

"Char!" Sienna cried out, running to her trainer.

"Oh no!" Alex gasped, her mind going a mile a minute trying to think, unable to make her body move.

Before she fully processed it, her hand grabbed an empty ball and threw it at the flying missile. When it made contact, a bright light erupted as it opened, the bird's body turning to red energy and being swallowed up.

Shielding her eyes from the light, she didn't see the ball coming back at her until the last second when it smacked her in the face.

"Ow… That really hurt…"

"Charmander char!" Sienna cried out worriedly. She clung to her trainer's arm when she fell backward, seeing her rub her face.

"I-I'm fine," she reassured, nursing her nose.

It didn't feel broken nor was bleeding, but had a feeling it will bruise later.

Looking at the ball, she saw it hadn't stopped moving yet. That meant the Pidgey must still be inside and fighting to break out.

"Explains why my face isn't getting pecked off," she commented, body tense at the thought of the bird freeing itself.

"Chaar…"

"Be ready, Sienna. He might come out," Alex said as she got to her feet.

What felt like an eternity, the metallic ball finally stopped, the red light no longer flashing. It was the signal she needed to know the Pokémon has been captured.

"We…we did it… We caught him!" Alex cheered, picking her starter up in a big hug. "We finally caught our first Pokémon!"

"Char!" the Pokémon chirped, glad to see things are good now.

Stopping their little dance, the young girl set her Pokémon down as she picked her first catch's ball up.

"Why don't we see how strong he is in battle? We've seen his speed and agility so far."

It may have been an unorthodox catch, but it was a catch no less, and she was happy about it regardless.

"Man!" the other confirmed, tail wagging excitedly.

"Alright, come on out, Ansen!" she called out, finding the perfect name for her brand new Pokémon.

Soon as the bird was out and reoriented himself, he turned to his new trainer, giving her a nasty glare.

"Oh, right…"

In all her excitement, she forgot this Pokémon was attacking _her_ originally even if she did give the order first.

Instantly the Pokémon flew right at her, pecking away at her head, causing her to start running from her new Pokémon.

"Ow! Knock it off, we're a team now! We're not enemies!" she cried out, trying to shield herself as best as possible.

After several minutes of this going on, Alex managed to get the ornery Pokémon to redirect his aggression onto some wild Pokémon than on her.

Despite having him battle wild Pokémon surprisingly well, Alex would make frequent trips to the Pokémon Center whenever either started getting too tired.

"Jeez, wish you could actually _use_ the move, Peck. You're beak's hard enough to do it. Feels like getting pummeled by rocks," the girl groaned as she rubbed her head. "I bet you'd be unbeatable with it alone."

Ansen let out a huff as he turned from his new master, appearing miffed by her words, causing her to sigh.

How did she get such a stubborn Pokémon? More precisely, _why_ did she get a stubborn Pidgey of all Pokémon?

"Well, I guess a cranky Pidgey is better than a cranky Charmander," the girl joked as she looked at Sienna. "Least I won't have to worry about getting roasted."

Hearing her bird make his usual battle cry, she turned to see him use a move she didn't recognize right away.

Taking out the Pokédex, she had it scan him, reading what moves he knew, a smile growing as she read the data.

"You learned Quick Attack? That's awesome! Now I _know_ you're going to be unbeatable for sure!" she squealed with joy.

Her joy, however, was short-lived when the bird decided to test his new move on her, slamming straight into her gut.

"Char!"

"I'm good… I think this is his weird way of saying, thank you," she laughed sarcastically, holding her stomach in pain. "I mean, if he _really_ hated me, why would he bother listening, right?"

"Der…" the lizard sighed as the bird apparently answered the question by tackling the girl a few more times.

"Okay… I think I get it now… This…this is revenge," she groaned as her whole body ached, recalling how she tackled the bird. "How very mature of you, brat."

In the background, she could hear her Charmander laughing suddenly, appearing to find this quite funny. Alex rolled her eyes as she drummed her fingers against the dirt.

"Glad you find this so funny, Sienna."

Just as she successfully rolled away from her ornery Pokémon, she got him back inside his ball before further damage was done.

Looking to the sky, Alex found they were out longer than she expected, stars already starting to appear.

Alex decided that it was a good time to turn in for the night, knowing they can continue training tomorrow.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 2 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander**

 **Ansen - Pidgey**

* * *

 **I apologize again for this chapter being on the shorter side. I couldn't think of what else to put without stretching it unnecessarily.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Okay guys, let's go look for more friends!" Alex cheered as they walked out of the Pokémon Center after eating. They were heading over to Route 22 to look around, a few people suggesting to check it out.

"Char!" Sienna cried out pointing towards some rustling grass.

Moving closer to see, they saw that it was a male Nidoran, the trainer nearly squealing with excitement.

"He's so cute!" Alex giggled, knowing she was going to catch this Pokémon. "Alright, Sienna, let's…"

She barely got to finish her words when her Pidgey flew after the poison type, sending it flying, too far to catch as it ran away.

"Ansen!" she scolded before letting out a sigh. "I guess we'll just look around, bet we'll find another one. But no more attacking without my say so!"

Her words though went unheeded by the bird, as he continued to attack most of the wild Pokémon they encountered, including another male Nidoran.

Upon her third find, she tackled Ansen down, forcing him back in the Pokéball, getting pecked the whole time.

"You. Are. Not. Attacking. Right. Now!"

The moment she could, she threw a ball at the startled Pokémon, successfully catching it just as Ansen came back out.

Angry at being denied a battle, he started attacking his trainer, leaving her to run about to evade him. Several minutes passed before she got him to once more redirect his aggression on wild Pokémon.

"Nido?"

The poison type looked around when he was called out, looking at the angry bird chasing wild Pokémon and the happy lizard standing next to a disheveled girl.

"Hello, welcome to our… _happy_ family, Lance," Alex introduced as she knelt down. She was really pleased to have found such a cute Pokémon.

"Nido!" he squeaked as he hopped into the girl's arms, seemingly happy at the arrangement.

"You're so cute and so small!" the girl laughed as she cuddled him, mindful of the spines. "But we'll help you get big and strong like Sienna and Ansen, what do you say?"

"Ni!"

"Atta boy!"

She gathered up her Pokémon, carrying Lance in her arms, going over to Route 1, feeling it'd be a little safer to train. Plus it was closer to the Pokémon Center than if they continued training around Route 22.

Almost right away when entering the field, they spotted a Rattata.

Excited, the trainer set her new Pokémon down, her other Pokémon sitting on the sidelines to watch. Surprisingly enough, Ansen actually stayed to watch than fly off to do his own thing.

"Alright, use Tackle!"

Alex watched as her Pokémon put up a good fight, exciting her of how awesome her new Pokémon will be.

However, the fight turned deadly when the rat Pokémon sank its teeth deep into the pink flesh and fur, breaking the skin.

"Lance!" she cried out when the Pokémon screamed in pain. She feared the worst, her body frozen in place, unable to make herself move.

She barely saw something run in, sending the purple rat airborne, crashing into a bloody mess several feet away from them.

"Ansen?"

At first, she thought the bird had jumped in to save her Pokémon, knowing how fast he is. But she was shocked to find it was Sienna who saved Lance. She stood where the Rattata had been, claws glistening with bits of blood as she panted, glaring at the lifeless body.

"Oh, gods… Sienna…"

The fire type turned, appearing upset at what she did, before both heard a small weak cry, snapping them out of their daze.

"Lance!"

Alex grabbed her Pokémon, returning Ansen and Sienna to their respective pokéballs, carrying the little one in her arms.

With all she had worth, she ran out of the grass and towards the Pokémon Center, feeling the Pokémon trembling with pain. He was breathing hard, fearing she might not make it in time.

"Hang in there, we're almost there," she begged as the building came into view.

"Oh my, what happened?" Nurse Joy gasped when Alex ran in.

Seeing the injured Pokémon, she called for a stretcher, placing Lance on it, the Chansey already carting him off for treatment.

"It…it was a wild Rattata," Alex answered shakily. "It tried to kill Lance!"

She couldn't hold back the tears as she fell to her knees, crying softly.

Nurse Joy gave her a sad look, staying behind as the other staff took care of the Pokémon. While the Nidoran 's injuries were pretty bad, they weren't fatal. Right now Alex needed someone to help calm her down.

"It'll be alright now," she comforted, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "While it was fast, his injuries didn't look that serious. He'll be good as new in no time."

"M-maybe I shouldn't have caught him. I should have thought it more through. He could still be a baby with how small he is."

"It happens, most trainers don't know much about the Pokémon they catch until they start battling or have them taken for treatment."

"R-really?"

"Yes, really. I've had plenty of trainers come in with Pokémon that are young."

"What should I do then?"

"If you don't think he's suited for battles, then you could have him sent to your house and made a pet or have him released. But I think after a good rest, he'll do much better. The Nidoran line is known for being a very sturdy species."

"They are?"

"Mhm," Nurse Joy nodded, giving Alex a hug as she helped her to her feet. "Why don't you sit down? I'll have someone bring you some water while I check on, Lance was his name?"

"Okay…" she sniffed.

"If you'd like, I could take your other Pokémon if they need any treatment too," Nurse Joy offered.

"Oh? Right…"

Alex handed the woman the pokéball holding Ansen but hesitated with Sienna's.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing, sorry about that. Lance getting hurt like that…it really scared me."

"That's understandable, but you won't have to worry. He's in capable hands."

Nodding numbly, the young girl handed her starter's ball, watching as they were taken for healing as well.

Going over to one of the chairs, she sat down, drawing her knees up, resting her forehead on them. She wasn't sure how much time passed but hearing her name called, she looked up to see the glass of water had been left at some point.

Before getting up, she took it, taking a long drink, not realizing how thirsty she was. Afterward, she stood and went over to the front desk.

Despite the nurse's comforting words, she feared the worst until seeing the bright smile on the woman's face. It sent a wave of relief through her, allowing her to breathe easier.

"They're all healed up," Nurse Joy explained as she handed the balls back to their owner.

"Thank you," Alex smiled, bidding the woman goodbye as she went outside.

Finding a bench to sit at, she took it, calling her Pokémon out to see them, Lance especially.

There were a few bandages where he had been bitten, but it looked like it was more to protect the tender flesh than conceal an actual wound.

While she hadn't been told he couldn't fight, she was hesitant after what happened.

"L-Lance?" she started, the Pokémon nibbling on some grass.

"Ni?" he chirped, ears twitching as he turned to her.

"I'm sorry that you got hurt. I should have been more careful and had Sienna or Ansen with you than so far away. I understand if you're upset with me. I'll also understand if you don't want to battle anymore if you prefer to go back home. I could even send you to my house and be a pet. I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind and could help me fill out the paperwork."

"Chaar?" Sienna gave her trainer a concerned look.

"It's the same for you two as well. If you ever feel like you don't want to fight or don't want to be with me, let me know. I want you guys to be happy."

"Charmander, char!"

The fire lizard hopped up on the bench, wrapping her tiny arms around Alex, giving her a hug. Alex couldn't help but smile, more so when Lance tried climbing up to join. She reached down to pick him up, laughing when he started licking her face excitedly.

"I'll take it that you two want to stay?"

Both Pokémon gave out cheerful cries.

"What about you, Ansen?"

The bird gave a huff and surprisingly perched himself near her. Ansen wasn't an affectionate Pokémon, Alex could see that, but the short time she's had him, she could tell by his actions that he seemed to like being with her. It was that or he simply enjoyed the chance to beat her up at any chance he got. Plus, he really did seem to enjoy battling and likely would enjoy battling gyms if he stays.

"You guys are great," she smiled, hugging the affectionate Pokémon.

"Ni! Nido, ni!" Lance started chattering, hopping out of her arms.

"Lance?"

Alex watched as he sat in front of her, gesturing his front paws down the path leading back to Route 1, the Pokémon quickly running up to her legs, tugging on her pant leg.

Sienna was beaming as she hopped down, grabbing her trainer's hand, trying to get her up as well.

Getting what they were doing, Alex gave them a smile, "Alright, if you want to get stronger, then we'll try again."

She got up, following the two back to the outskirts of town, Ansen flying overhead them.

Once they were there, Lance dove into the grass to search for an opponent to fight, eager to get stronger.

In his excitement, however, he didn't hear his trainer calling for him to slow down. He only did when he found a Pokémon, freezing in place when seeing it was a Rattata.

The poison type barely had time to react when the rodent lunged at him with a cry, viewing him as a threat to its territory.

Lance dodged several tackles, his mind going into a panic as he looked for his trainer or the others. Tripping over a rock, the Pokémon let out a cry, fearing the Rattata would get him.

Just as it made another lunge, a flash of orange shot between them, revealing to be Sienna as she chased the rat away. Once certain they were safe, the fire Pokémon led him back to where Alex and Ansen were.

The young girl let out a gasp when seeing they were hurt, Lance more so, she took them back to the Pokémon Center for treatment.

However, instead of giving up, Lance seemed more determined to get stronger, wanting to go back out to the grassy fields to train.

While she couldn't understand his exact reason, Alex was willing to let him train, the others by his side should he need it.

"Ni!" Lance let out a victorious cry.

He finally beat his very first opponent without help! He was exhausted, of course, the fight wasn't easy, but he did it and he was proud.

It took them days before he could be trusted to handle fighting on his own without immediately jumping in and it was paying off.

"You did great, Lance!" Alex cried out, running over to hug him. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Char, char!" Sienna cheered happily, relieved to see him getting stronger.

"Ran!" Lance squeaked excitedly as he nuzzled his trainer.

The poison Pokémon felt so happy with all the praise, he barely noticed himself being carried back to the Pokémon Center for a well-deserved rest.

He knew that if he can continue winning, he'll continue getting stronger. And if he does that, not only will Sienna no longer have to protect him, but he can do the protecting for both her and their trainer! The thought made the Pokémon smile as he nuzzled in Alex's arm.

As the training continued, there were some Pokémon that proved more aggressive than what they were used to. Not only did they try to attack Lance with the intent to kill, but took aim for Alex as well.

Sienna would retaliate against any she could get as did Lance. Any too fast for either, Ansen surprisingly came to their aid.

"Lance, look out!" Alex shrieked. She made to run towards her Pokémon when spotting a Rattata running for him. "Behind you!"

He turned to see the purple rat running, letting out a cry as he jabbed his horn into its side, the appendage glowing briefly.

Throwing the rodent aside, the poison type thought he killed it before it twitched and soon got up, running away. Seeing how much stronger the Nidoran was, some of the other aggressive wild Pokémon that had been in the area backed off.

"W-was… Was that Horn Attack?" Alex stammered. She was in awe of what she saw, a relieved smile forming on her face. "That's amazing! You're going to be as strong as Sienna and Ansen soon!"

"Nido!" he squeaked happily, jumping into his trainer's arms.

Eager to prove his strength more, Lance hopped down, spotting a Rattata. He wasn't as afraid of them as he used to be now that he was stronger.

On the girl's command, he charged at the rodent with his horn aimed low.

As several days passed, Alex could see her Pokémon were getting much stronger, Lance especially. Not only was he getting stronger physically, but his confidence grew the more Pokémon he defeated.

"Ni?" Lance chirped softly as he shook his body after fending off another Rattata.

"Something wrong?" Alex asked, kneeling down to her Pokémon.

Finding no signs of immediate damage, but did see a strange substance leak from some of his spines. Concerned about it, she pulled her Pokédex out, having it do a quick scan, reading that Lance had learned Poison Sting.

"That's right, you're a poison type," she murmured. "Why don't you practice aiming Poison Sting at some rocks? We don't want to accidentally poison someone until you learn to control it properly."

She remembered reading about poison type Pokémon in school.

Most normally already know how to secrete venom, but those that don't are either due to a birth defect or their venomous glands haven't fully developed. When the glands _are_ developed, they would practice either on each other, rocks, even decaying trees.

"He must have been really young when I caught him," she murmured softly.

It made her concerned about taking him from any family he had, but thinking back, if he really did have a home, he would have been with them. The Nidoran line is known for being protective of their young, Nidorina and Nidoqueen especially. They likely would have attacked her if they were near.

That in mind helped her feel a little better about catching him. Whether he was an orphan or got lost, being with her, he's a lot safer than trying to fend for himself.

For the next couple hours, Alex had her Pokémon practice controlling his Poison Sting on any rocks and occasionally a fallen tree.

She made a mental note to buy extra antidotes in case Lance ever poisoned her or the others by mistake, even any new teammates.

Looking at the sky, realizing it was getting rather late, she recalled everyone, wanting to get back to Viridian with the available daylight.

"Calling it for the night?" Nurse Joy teased when the black haired girl walked in.

"Yeah, everyone did really well, Lance especially. He learned Poison Sting today."

"That's wonderful, be sure to carry some antidotes if you aren't already."

"I will."

"That's a good girl. I'll take your Pokémon to heal them while you get dinner for yourself and your Pokémon."

"Thank you," Alex smiled as she handed the balls over.

About ten minutes later, she heard her name called, going to the front and picking her Pokémon up.

Taking them to her table, she called them out so they could eat with her.

"I was thinking we should start training in a new spot tomorrow. There's only so many Rattata and Pidgey we can battle before things get to easy for us. What do you guys think?"

"Char! Charmander char!"

"Nido ni nido!"

"Glad you agree," Alex giggled as she turned to her third Pokémon. He showed no sign of acknowledging her question but felt he heard her. "What about you Ansen?"

For a moment, he did nothing, eating his meal until he was full. When he finished, taking one last drink from his bowl, he looked at her. The bird gave a gruff sound that sounded like he agreed as well.

Next thing Alex knew, the Pidgey flew above her, flapping his wings hard, creating a powerful Gust.

"Ansen! Not in here!" she cried as everything around them was blown into the air.

Trainers nearby let out startled screams as they tried to shield their food or any Pokémon that were light and could have been blown away.

When the finished, Alex gave the bird an angry glare, "Maybe instead of working on getting you stronger, I should focus improving your manners!"

Ansen ignored her as he let out a yawn and fluffing his feathers a bit before fluttering towards his ball that had fallen to the floor. He calmly pecked the button, having figured out how to work it and went inside.

"Ugh… You're such a stubborn Pokémon!" she huffed as she got up to pick her stuff up and anything else. Sienna and Lance joined her, the latter mostly eating any edible food that fell to the floor.

Thankfully the nurse was aware of her Pokémon's attitude and was used to rowdy Pokémon sometimes going off without warning.

However, Alex could hear some trainers making rude comments about her inability to control her Pokémon, causing her face to turn red.

"I've heard plenty of stories of trainers raising Spearow and have difficulty with them, but never with a Pidgey…" she sighed. Looking over, she noticed a man picking things up as well, having her walk over. "I'm sorry about my Pidgey."

"Its fine, he seems pretty strong compared to most I've seen in the eastern part of Kanto."

"Really?"

"Mhm… He likely had family members from one of those flocks before ending up here."

"Even so, I wish he'd listen to me better."

"Does he listen to you at all?" the man asked with concern.

"Only for battles," she sighed. "But not much in anything else, like with what happened. He'll sometimes attack me too, though it might be out of revenge for catching him."

"Sometimes Pokémon are like that. They can sometimes have a pretty stubborn attitude. I've dealt with quite a few myself," the man chuckled as he picked up the last of the fallen food.

"Jolt!" a scarred up Jolteon barked. It made its way over to the pair of trainers with a big smile on its face.

"Hey, buddy," the older trainer greeted. He knelt down, rubbing the Pokémon's face gently.

"Is that your Pokémon?" Alex asked in awe.

"Yeah. This is Henry."

"He looks really strong."

"He is, I've been training him for quite a long time ever since he was an Eevee."

"I hope I can get my Pokémon really strong too."

"I'm sure you will. Are you thinking of taking the League challenge?"

"I signed up for it recently."

"That's great to hear. So are they your only Pokémon?" he asked, gesturing to Lance and Sienna as well as Ansen's ball.

"They are, I haven't gotten to explore anywhere else for a Pokémon."

"No worries, but you might have some trouble facing Flint though."

"Who's that?"

"He's the current gym leader in Pewter City. He races rock type Pokémon."

"Oh, and all of my Pokémon are weak against rock types…"

"No need to get bummed out now," the man reassured, giving her a pat on the shoulder. "There are other ways to beat rock types."

"That's true," she nodded, recalling her battle with Azure and his Squirtle.

"If I can suggest something, try to get yourself a Caterpie at Viridian Forest or near it at least."

"Caterpie?" she blinked before it dawned on her. "That's a great idea. Once they evolve into Butterfree, they'll learn Confusion!"

"Exactly," he laughed. "I'm guessing you've seen some then?"

"My mom owns a few from her days as a Pokémon trainer."

"Then you know how tough they can be."

"Yeah, thank you for suggesting it though, I really appreciate it," Alex smiled. "My name's Alex by the way."

"Nice to meet you, name's Steven," he grinned. "And it's no trouble at all. I don't mind helping new trainers if I can." Stifling a yawn as his Pokémon let out loud one of his own, Steven gave her a sheepish grin. "Guess it's time Henry and I hit the hay."

"I should sleep too," Alex nodded, giving Ansen's ball a glare. "Of course, Ansen beat all of us, sneaky little fluff ball."

Steven let out a laugh, causing her to smile at his good nature, "I'm sure he'll settle down the more you raise him."

"I hope so," she sighed, "night, Steven."

"Night, Alex."

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 3 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander**

 **Ansen - Pidgey**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.**

* * *

 **In regards to Steven, he is NOT Steven Stone from Hoenn. The name was random when thinking him up. Not sure whether I want to change it or keep it as is.  
**

 **Same when I named Lance, it was a random moment, but it stuck as I even make jokes about it.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Morning you guys," Alex yawned as she called her team out.

Like her, they let out yawns of her their own, stretching themselves or rubbing any sleep from their eyes. Thankfully, they all looked well rested as did she.

Getting dressed, she made her way to the main lobby to get breakfast, quickly spotting Steven and his Jolteon going the same way. She greeted him, the two talking as they walked.

"So what do you plan on doing?" Steven asked as they collected food.

"I was going to train around the area where I caught Lance now that he learned Poison Sting. It might help him learn to control it if he can fight against wild Nidoran."

"That's a pretty good idea. You said you signed up for the League challenge, right?"

"Yeah, I'm hoping to get all the badges I need and take part in the Indigo League when it officially starts. It'll give me a chance to explore the Kanto region."

"Any place in particular?"

"A few like Fuchsia City, I heard they have a Safari Zone. I bet it'll be a ton of fun to check out. I want to see as many Pokémon as I can and make friends with any catch."

"You kind of remind me of myself when I was about your age," Steven mused, a warm smile forming.

"I do?"

He nodded as they loaded their trays with food for themselves and their Pokémon.

"So besides exploring while challenging the gyms; did you know someone or have someone in your family challenge the League?"

"My great-grandfather did many years ago. What about you?"

"I tried taking on the gyms, but I got bored, so gave up. I got as far as collecting six badges before I decided to simply wander around Kanto and Johto."

"You must have seen all kinds of Pokémon then."

"Yeah, did," he mused, appear lost in thought.

"Steven?"

"Sorry," he apologized, laughing nervously before shoving a spoonful of yogurt into his mouth. "But I have seen a lot of Pokémon from different flocks and herds to those that live solitary lives. I've even seen a few rarer species on my travels."

"I hope I'll be able to see as many as you have."

"I'm sure you will."

"If you don't mind me asking, where did you get some of your Pokémon? I never saw a Jolteon in person before, only in books and on TV."

"No problem," he grinned, patting his Pokémon the head. "I got Henry back in Celadon City when he was an Eevee. They're pretty common around there as well as around Saffron and Lavender Town. He evolved later when I was checking this pretty cool place out."

"What's it called?"

"Stone Town."

"Stone Town?"

"Don't let its name fool you. It's the very reason we can purchase a good number of our evolution stones for reasonable prices.

"That's really cool."

"Yeah, when I was there, you wouldn't believe all the Pokémon they had that could evolve through a stone. They were even nice enough to offer a stone to evolve Henry. I just let him choose what he wanted to be than force him."

"That was really nice of you."

"Well it's his body; he should choose what he wants to be. Same with another Pokémon of mine that needed a water stone to evolve."

"That's so cool! I wonder if I'll find an Eevee."

"I'm sure you will. Like I said, they're in a few spots and are pretty common. If you can't find one, just ask, I'm sure someone would be nice enough to help."

"I'll keep it in mind. So what other Pokémon do you have? You said you had one that needed a water stone."

"My Starmie, Gurgle."

"Gurgle?" Alex giggled, the older man giving an embarrassed smile.

"Hey, I was a kid when I caught her. I'm sure you'll come up with a goofy name you might question later."

"Sorry, but Gurgle must be a cool Pokémon though."

"She is, had her pretty early in my journey, fished her up at Vermillion City."

"I heard they're hard to find."

"Yeah, I can only guess she got herself caught on a current or was simply curious. She's always poking her jewel where it doesn't belong due to her curiosity."

"Do you have others that evolve by stone?"

"Just those two. Instead, I have Adonis, my Tauros. Caught him in the Safari Zone. Then I've got Poster, though not sure _where_ he came from."

"How come?"

"He _sort_ of got stuck in my bag," he laughed. "Poster's a Ditto."

"A Ditto?"

"Mhm… He's a funny fella, especially when we first met. Thinking about it now, it was pretty comical."

"What happened?"

"Like I said, he got stuck in my bag. I don't know where exactly or for how long. By the time I found out, it was when I was unpacking my bag to make camp and change my clothes. Instead, I find a pile of pink goo with a face."

"That must have been startling."

"Oh yeah, screamed like a girl…no offense."

"None taken," Alex giggled. "But I don't hear about a lot of trainers using Ditto though."

"Most people think they're pretty useless since all they can do is transform into other Pokémon. As a kid, I didn't really know and just kept him after recovering from that heart attack. I never saw a Ditto before and wanted to see what they can do. I'm really glad I did as he's proven to be quite strong."

"I bet he is. What about your Tauros though? I heard that they're tough to raise, even for experienced trainers."

"Depends on their age and where they're born. Most of the Tauros in the Safari Zone are pretty mellow because they have less competition for food. The staff makes sure there's enough for everyone and attempts to keep a lot of the Pokémon living there docile."

"They do?"

"Yeah, from what I remember, it was because they want it to be a safe experience for trainers catching them. They don't allow battles as they don't want Pokémon getting hurt on either side, so to avoid the wild Pokémon attacking trainers, they're raised to be somewhat domesticated. They're wild enough to survive on their own if needed but tamed enough not to attack a human on sight. Doesn't mean it can't happen though."

"That sounds really tough for them."

"I bet it is. But if it wasn't for them, I probably wouldn't have tried getting Adonis. And no, he's not that vain. If he was, I probably would've been gored by now."

"So you only have four Pokémon?"

"Yeah, never really thought about trying for a full team. Just went with what I had."

"I think I understand. But I'm sure you'll find a Pokémon you really like or your Pokémon like and want to have it join you."

"I'm sure I will at some point," Steven smiled. "By the way, where did you get your Charmander? They're pretty rare in the wild."

"I got Sienna from Professor Oak along with a friend getting a Squirtle from him. There's another kid who's getting a Bulbasaur. Why did you ask?"

"Sorry, sort of brings back some memories from when I got my first Pokémon."

"What was your first Pokémon?"

"A Bulbasaur."

"I was actually pretty close to picking Bulbasaur myself, but I'm glad I picked Sienna. She's been a really great Pokémon to have so far. She's really friendly and already proving to be really strong."

"I bet she feels really happy you picked her too. But given you got her from the professor, you must live near Pallet Town, huh?"

"I live there actually," Alex grinned.

"No kidding? Talk about lucky."

"Thanks, but what do you mean?"

"Like I said, Pokémon like Charmander aren't easy to find in the wild. So a lot of kids wouldn't get a chance to start off with a starter like you and your friend have. They would have to get their first Pokémon on their own or have their parents help them. If they live near a Pokémon Gym though, they could ask the leader to help them."

"That makes sense, not everyone is able to get to Pallet Town or afford going there to get a starter. But I'm sure there are other professors like Professor Oak who give out starter Pokémon or some variation for new trainers."

"That's true."

"If I may ask, what led you catching a Pidgey and Nidoran ?"

"Catching Lance was sort of out of the blue. I saw a Nidoran and thought they looked cute, but Ansen chased one off and sent another flying. I just reacted and caught Lance when I saw him before Ansen could attack."

"Pretty wild bird."

"Tell me about it."

"So I'm guessing you named your Nidoran after that Lance kid?"

"Actually the name was completely random. I forgot about him," Alex laughed, causing the older trainer to burst out laughing.

"That's new," he chuckled as he calmed down. "But to be honest, I'm not that surprised. He _is_ pretty new in Kanto. I heard he's training to be part of the Elite Four like his father."

"Maybe I'll see him at the Indigo Plateau?"

"Who knows," Steven shrugged. "So what about your feisty bird, Ansen? What led you catching _him_ of all birds?"

"I didn't expect him to be like this. I simply wanted a Pidgey. I didn't care if I got a boy or girl, young or older. The only thing I cared about was that they were alone. I didn't want to risk angering a whole flock if I tried catching one that way or tearing up a family even."

"Sounds reasonable."

"Plus, I've heard a lot of great stories about the Pidgey line, so I thought getting one would be a good choice."

"As I said last night, I'm sure he'll mellow out as he grows with you."

"I guess so," Alex smiled as she sipped her drink. "I just hope that I'll be able to raise my Pokémon well. Like how you raised yours. Despite the scars, Henry looks really amazing."

"Thank you, though I'm sure in due time and with some patience, you'll find yourself with a powerful team."

"You think so?"

"Mhm."

"Thanks, Steven, you're a really awesome trainer."

"I'm not _that_ great," he laughed, a blush on his face while his Jolteon snickered.

"But you are though. I bet if you wanted to, you probably could wipe the last two gyms easily and get pretty far in the Indigo Plateau. You might even reach the Elite Four."

"You think so?"

"I'm positive."

"I'll keep that in mind then. For now, I just like wandering around."

Alex nodded, taking a glance at the clock, noting the time. Getting up and collecting her trash, she gave him a wave and smile.

"I should get going."

"No worries, you wanted to help Lance control Poison Sting. Plus I'm sure you'll want to train the others too. If you have any problems though, let me know, alright? I'm going to be here for a bit longer."

"Okay?" Alex answered with concern.

"It's nothing serious, don't worry about it," Steven reassured, waving it off with a smile. "Good luck with your training out there."

Unsure if he was being entirely truthful, Alex let it slide. It wasn't really her business and he seems like a good guy. So she gave a final smile before leaving.

Heading outside, Alex made sure everyone was accounted and she had everything they needed for before they headed for Route 22.

Stepping into the pathway, she walked for several minutes before finding a nice field with plenty of Pokémon roaming about.

Settling on a spot, she began to train her Pokémon, having Lance battle mostly against other poison types…

"You're doing great!" Alex cheered towards the pink Pokémon.

A couple hours had passed since she started training him, the others sitting back to watch, ready to jump in if needed, Sienna mostly.

Alex was surprised how much he improved, not having any need to return to the Pokémon Center to treat him so far.

She knew not to jinx herself, but it made her feel giddy, knowing their teamwork was improving, happy to see how well things were going. He managed to figure out how to secrete the poison at will than letting it do so constantly, making him much safer to be around.

She had him battle a few non-poison types as a test, glad to see him not poisoning them without her orders.

"Ni?" the pink Pokémon stopped after beating his female counterpart, sniffing the air while his ears twitched away.

"What's wrong, Lance?" Alex asked, worried about the Pokémon.

"Ran!"

Without warning, he took off out of the area, aiming towards the dirt path they came from a while back.

"Lance! Come back here!" she cried out as she recalled her Pokémon quickly while taking chase after the tiny thing.

As she got out of some taller grass, finding her Pokémon, she stopped in shock when seeing her Pokémon examining another trainer's feet.

"Hey, Alex, guess this Nidoran belongs to you then?" Azure asked as he picked the small Pokémon up, bringing him to her.

"Yeah, that's Lance," Alex said, taking him back. "Are you here training too?"

"Yup, I got a cool Pokémon, but it's pretty tired right now."

"What'd you get?"

"A Spearow, but like I said, it got pretty tired. I don't want to push my luck training it any further. But I got two others that are ready to go."

"Is that a challenge?"

"You bet it is, Squirtle's a lot stronger now."

"So is Sienna," she smiled as gestured her Pokémon while calling the other out as did he.

Using his Pokédex to scan, Azure gave a small gulp, "Yeah… I get the feeling she might cream my guys."

"I don't _have_ to use her, she can't have _all_ the battles," Alex smiled as she set her pink Pokémon down. "I'd like to give Lance a shot. I'm training him anyway."

"Alright then," he grinned as they moved their remaining Pokémon to the side so they could have their battle.

"You ready, Lance?"

"Ni!"

"Let's go, Pidgey!"

"Use Leer!"

"That won't work! Sand-Attack!"

"Damn!" Alex had to shield her eyes from the kicked up dirt, struggling to see her Pokémon, hoping he wasn't too scared. "Lance! Keep your eyes closed, use your ears!"

If they had more experience battling, she probably would have tried using Poison Sting, but right now, it was too risky. If she were to give the order, there was a good chance of the attack missing and potentially hitting her or someone else.

Instead, she'll just have to find another way to win…

Keeping his ears alert, eyes squeezed shut; Lance could hear his opponent's wings flapping away. Following the sound, he was able to target him.

Without an order given, he dove at the surprised bird, pinning him easily, the other unable to wiggle free.

"Great job, Lance!"

"Ni!" he squeaked as the bird had been recalled, knowing the fight was over.

"Pretty good, let's see how you can handle against Squirtle!" Azure stated as he gestured for the turtle to run in front of its trainer.

"Use Horn Attack!"

"Tackle it!"

"You do the same!"

Between blows and dodges, the brunette couldn't help but curse softly when seeing the girl's Pokémon was not only faster, but landing blows more.

By the end of the fight, his Pokémon was on the ground, panting, clearly unable to battle, the other barely exhausted.

"Man, that's twice in a row against you, what am I doing wrong?" the boy sighed sadly as he recalled his Pokémon.

"You fought really well though, so don't get down. I'm sure you'll improve over time, we both started out."

"You think so?"

"I'm…" she started before a sharp laugh drew their attention.

"If you're Pokémon are that weak, why not just get rid of them and get better ones?" a young man suggested, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"No way, I'm not going to abandon my Pokémon!" Azure snapped as he quickly recalled his Spearow as the girl recalled her Pokémon as well. "My dad gave me Squirtle and I caught Pidgey and Spearow because they were really cool. I…I just need more training, right Alex?"

"That's right; my Pokémon weren't that strong either. I had close calls training them, but they're getting stronger."

"There's really no reason to waste your time though. Raising a weak Pokémon won't make it stronger, only slow you down."

"You're wrong!" Alex snapped, feeling her hands shake with anger.

"Pokémon are here to be our tools. They battle for us, work for us, are to be used by us however we please. If they can't get the job done, they don't deserve our time."

"I feel sorry for you _and_ your Pokémon," Azure spat as he gave the older teen a dark look. "I don't know who filled your head with that kind of crap, but you're wrong. My dad taught me that Pokémon are our friends. We work together, we help…"

"I'm guessing your father is Professor Samuel Oak?"

"Yeah, so what if he is?"

"He's more a joke than a real professor," the man stated as he walked passed them. "Both him _and_ our so-called champion."

"How dare you insult my dad and Renton! If my Pokémon weren't tired, I'd…"

Just as he began to rant, the other shot him this menacing glare, enough to shut the boy up, a small gasp escaping. Even Alex let out a whimper; the two backing away as he continued on past them, saying nothing else.

"Who the hell _was_ that guy?" Azure asked once the man was long gone.

"I don't know," the girl spoke as she gave the road he went down a hard look. "But one thing's for sure, I don't like him."

"You think he would've hurt us if we _did_ try challenging him?"

"I think hurt would be an understatement…"

"You think he might be participating in the challenge too?"

"Who knows, but if he is…"

"I don't want someone like _him_ as champion."

"I doubt he'll make it that far, Renton is the strongest trainer in Kanto. He wouldn't lose so easily, and to a jerk like that guy."

"Yeah, you're right," Azure sighed as the man's words still rung in his head. "I'm gonna head to the Pokémon Center and get my Pokémon healed. I'll see you later."

"You want me to go with you?" Alex offered, knowing his Pokémon were pretty tired.

"I'll be fine, Viridian City isn't that far. You just keep training. I wanna one day beat you when you're at your best," he reassured, giving her a thumbs up as he took off.

"Azure…" she whispered. She was torn between following him anyway or staying where she is and continue training. "That man, why would he say such awful things?"

Holding her pokéball, she decided to call out her team, seeing them look confused.

"Nido?"

Walking up to his trainer, the poison type rested his paws on her leg, cocking his head to one side, obviously curious.

"Sorry for putting you all in your balls like that. I just got this bad vibe from that guy and felt you would be safer."

"Charmander…" Sienna purred as she nuzzled her head against her trainer.

"But as you can see, he's gone, so it's safe. We'll continue training, Azure's right; we need to be at our best. But not just to face him, but in case we ever run into that man again. We may not get so lucky next time to avoid a battle."

"Ni!" the poison type chirped happily as he bounded into the grass.

The very action was enough to startle a flock of Spearow, watching as they took flight, some not fast enough to avoid getting tackled or jabbed at with a horn.

After nearly an hour of training, the poison type paused, his body stiffening up as he gave a confused sound before his body lit up.

"Lance?" Alex gasped as she stared at her Pokémon, realizing what was going on. "I don't believe it…"

With how bright the light was, she had to shield her eyes, trying to see through her fingers. Her Pokémon's body began to grow larger and larger, parts of his body becoming sharper, deadlier even.

When it was over, he was a completely different Pokémon, yet at the same time, he was still the same sweet Pokémon when he ran over excitedly, nearly tackling her down.

"Easy, Lance! Take it easy!" she laughed as she fell backward.

Arms wrapped around him, she laughed harder as he started licking her face, careful of his horn and spikes from hurting her.

"Look at that, congratulations, Alex," a voice spoke up, causing the girl to turn around while somewhat fending off her overly affectionate Pokémon.

"Steven, when did you get here?"

"I got what I needed to be taken care of and was about to leave when I bumped into this kid. He seemed pretty upset and I swore I heard your name."

"That's Azure, he and I are both from Pallet Town."

"Guess he challenged you and lost?"

"Yeah, but I don't think it's that alone that's upset him."

"Hmm?"

"After our battle, this weird man came out of nowhere and was telling us that if our Pokémon were weak, we should get rid of them. He even insulted Professor Oak and Renton!"

"Oh man, that's pretty bad. Did you catch his name?"

"No, we didn't think to ask or feel like asking and he didn't seem like sharing it freely," Alex sighed.

"I'm guessing that kid, Azure was it? He's a big fan of Renton and Professor Oak?"

"Sort of, he's a fan of Renton, but he's actually Professor Oak's son."

"Oh…"

"That guy though…he really scared me, Azure, too. The way he spoke, the way he acted, how he spoke about Pokémon as if they were tools… I don't know, I just got this awful vibe off of him. I mean, he could've challenged us and easily crushed us, possibly _kill_ our Pokémon. But he didn't as if we weren't worth the effort…"

"Can't say I blame you really. Sadly there are trainers like that out there," Steven sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Your best bet really would be to keep training. If there's a chance this guy's participating the challenge, you may run into him again. If you can keep your Pokémon well trained, you should have little problems with a guy like him."

"You think so?"

"I know so, this guy from what you said, is focused on power. Well, that alone isn't going to help him, let alone _save_ him all the time. There's a lot more to Pokémon than strength."

"Yeah, Professor Oak would say the same thing too," Alex spoke as she gave the other a small smile. "Thanks for talking with me. Guess I won't see you again for a while, huh?"

"We might, I'm just wandering and you're on a path. We may bump into each other again and even if I don't participate in the conference, I'll be there to root for you when it starts. You can be sure of that."

"Thank you, Steven, I appreciate it."

"No problem, take care," the elder trainer smiled as he left, waving the girl goodbye, her doing the same.

After a few moments of silence, letting everything sink in, the girl gave her Pokémon a look, seeing he was still very much happy about evolving. Even the others seemed impressed, happy even of his evolution.

Figuring they wanted a turn, she started to train all of them, Lance slowly running out of steam where she let him rest in the pokéball than on the grass. It would've been too dangerous if he fell asleep and a trainer mistook him for a wild Pokémon and tried making off with him.

About two hours after, Ansen became tired to the point he wouldn't be able to continue on without hurting himself. Therefore, to avoid such problems, he was also sent back into his ball to rest up.

From there, she worked meticulously on her starter Pokémon, careful not to wander too deep into the grass in case the fire type got tired as well.

Before long, the lizard was enveloped in a flash of light, meaning Sienna was evolving as Lance had done earlier.

When it was over and the Pokémon stood in her new form, a little confused, possibly unnerved, the girl couldn't help but stare in awe.

"You look so beautiful, Sienna," Alex whispered as she hugged her Pokémon.

"Char, charmeeleon," the stronger fire type proudly purred, nuzzling against her trainer with absolute joy.

Quickly calling the guys out to show, she couldn't help but giggle how cute it looked when the fire and poison type nuzzled one another.

After a bit, she recalled the male Pokémon to rest some more and work a little bit more on Sienna.

"I think this is enough training for one day. What do…" Alex began, seeing how tired her Pokémon was looking. However, her face paled when a Nidoran made itself known, snarling at them, likely having wandered into her territory.

She wasn't sure what to do, knowing she wouldn't have enough antidotes to heal herself or her Pokémon if it were to attack with its venom.

When they tried to get around it and run, the Pokémon blocked, snapping her jaws at them, clearly intent with not letting them leave here.

"Dammit," Alex cursed. She looked at how weary her Pokémon was, knowing one wrong move and they were done for.

She couldn't call out Ansen or Lance, they were too tired to fight as well, it'd be like having them thrown to a pack of hungry Arcanine.

"Cha!" the fire type cried out, falling to her knees when the smaller Pokémon scratched her rather badly.

"Sienna!" the girl cried out, unknowingly rushing to her Pokémon's side, attempting to shield her from harm.

However, when no attack came, she hesitantly looked up as did the scared lizard, seeing Ansen of all Pokémon flitting not far from them.

The Nidoran was lying several feet away, blood pooling around the body, though managed to move and limp away when regaining consciousness.

As she was about to thank her Pokémon for saving them, he collapsed, whatever he did to fend off the wild Pokémon recoiling back onto him.

"Ansen!"

She grabbed his ball as well as Sienna's returning both of them as she took off towards town with all her might.

After reaching the center and getting her Pokémon treated, she went to her room, exhaustion claiming her.

She later woke up when hearing the nurse calling her name, picking her Pokémon up, grateful they were okay, Ansen most of all.

Taking them back and getting food, skipping dinner for herself, she sat with them, knees drawn up as she stared worriedly at each of them.

"That was to close… What was I even _thinking_?" she mumbled softly to herself, burying her face in her legs. "I could've gotten _both_ of us killed jumping in like that."

Looking up from her dish, Sienna walked over, giving the girl a sad look as she pushed her face against hers, nuzzling deeply.

"Meeleon char charmeeeleon," she purred softly, attempting to comfort her trainer anyway possible.

"Sienna?" Alex hiccupped softly, close to having a breakdown. "I'm so sorry; I don't know what I was thinking. I should've just put you in your ball. I should've just run as fast I could to get all of us away."

"Meeele, meeleon," the fire type grunted softly as she shook her head, disagreeing with her self-blaming.

"I'm sorry, I just don't want to risk losing you guys," she spoke as she wiped at her eyes, giving them a forced smile. "So are you guys still up for taking on the gyms? Take on the Pokémon League even?"

"Meel!" she yipped, a large grin plastered on her face.

"Reeno!" Lance chimed in, thrusting his horn into the air to show he can still fight.

"Cooo!" Ansen added, flapping his wings, but more to make himself big than creating a natural disaster as before.

Her smile growing, she felt grateful for having these guys, her confidence returning, managing to pull two of them into a hug. She would've gone to hug Ansen, but knew better than to test the bird's patience.

"Okay then, we'll get ourselves some good sleep tonight. In the morning, we'll stock up on more Pokéballs and any medicine we can get they haven't run out of and make our journey into the Viridian Forest. We're going to find ourselves a Caterpie!"

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 3 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino  
**

* * *

 **C** **ookies for anyone who can guess who the mystery man might be!**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	8. Chapter 8

"Ready to get a new teammate?" Alex asked as she looked at her Pokémon.

"Char!"

"Ni!"

Ansen gave a small noise, not appearing to care, but it was good enough for the young trainer. Two out of three are pumped and he wasn't throwing a fit, so that counts as a win in her book.

Getting themselves breakfast and ensuring that her bag was well stocked, she made a last minute trip to the Pokémon Mart.

As with her last trip, they still didn't have potions in stock. However, she was able to find some antidotes and a reasonable supply of pokéballs.

Fully stocked, she felt they were all set, the girl ready to camp out in the forest if needed if it meant catching herself a Caterpie. However, it wasn't just getting a Caterpie that made her willing to camp. Her minded had drifted back to what she's heard about this possible _"shiny"_ Pokémon that's living there. she had her doubts about actually finding it, but with how many have been talking about it, it seemed plausible that one might show up.

If by some chance she did find it, she wasn't entirely sure if she would want to catch it or not. That is if it's not a Pokémon she's already obtained.

She thought back to what Elm had told her and Azure about shiny Pokémon and their survival rate in the wild. If it really stood out, then it might not get a chance to live a long life, not with potential predators lurking about. And she certainly didn't want to think about possible poachers or religious fanatics hunting it down either.

"Alright, then if I find it, I might as well try to catch it. It'll be safe at least," Alex hummed to herself.

The Pokémon would at least have plenty of friends to play and train with as well as plenty of food and water. And if it didn't like battling, she can send it back home to stay with her parents or the professor if he's interested.

As they got closer to the forest, they stared at the towering trees and how dense it looked.

"Chaar…"

"You said it," Alex awed.

She rarely went to the forest when she was in school since it was so easy to get lost. Anytime she did go near, it was during school trips. She would be on a bus going to Pewter City for museum trips or they'd be on the outer edges of the forest so teachers and their Pokémon can monitor them.

Remembering the map in her bag, Alex felt a little more confident about having to travel through it.

Despite its intimidating look, it was still beautiful. She could hear the various Pokémon and insects chattering deep within. The sounds got her pumped more than she would have thought it would.

"Come on, we're guaranteed to find an awesome Caterpie!"

Much to her surprise, there were Pokémon appearing even before entering the forest, her Pokémon battling against some of them. One of these Pokémon was a Caterpie, but it got chased away in the chaos.

Letting out a groan, Alex sulked against a tree, her Pokémon resting not far from her.

"Meel…" Sienna laughed nervously. She rubbed the back of her head with her claws as she sat with her partner.

"I overtrained you again, didn't I?" Alex asked, her Pokémon nodding. "So what are we going to do then?"

Alex let herself relax, not wanting to get herself worked up. She'll figure something out, she's certain of that.

After several minutes, a rustle caught the girl's attention. She looked by some trees, spotting a small Caterpie scuttling through the grass.

"It's so cute!" Alex gasped, jumping to her feet.

She was about to order one of her Pokémon to help weaken it but remembered how strong they've gotten.

She couldn't send Ansen out, he might not just beat the bug type, but eat it. She couldn't use Sienna, she's pretty strong along with Lance. Even their weakest attacks might render it unconscious or chase it off.

Alex had to think about it, keeping an eye on the caterpillar Pokémon. She didn't want to lose it, so she slowly followed it, determined to catch it.

Behind her, the Pokémon followed, though kept a distance, more not to scare the wild Pokémon off by mistake.

"Caterpie _are_ pretty weak," Alex mumbled out loud. "Maybe I could just throw a pokéball at it?"

Even if she did, she didn't want to act careless and catch something by mistake if she missed or it broke out and retaliated.

Weak or not, she didn't want to deal with getting chased around by a bug or worse, it rallies others to chase them. Her Pokémon are strong, but not _that_ strong.

Barely paying attention to her surroundings, Alex let out a yelp when she tripped over an exposed root. Not even a second passed when she fell, a bunch of Metapod had fallen out of the tree on top of her.

"Sienna! A little help here!"

Chuckling softly, the fire type helped move the dazed pupas, freeing her trainer, watching as she dusted herself off.

"Thanks," Alex smiled sheepishly. "Man, that was embarrassing."

She and Sienna proceeded to move the Metapod to a safer location than leaving them where they were. This way, they wouldn't be as exposed to the elements and predators.

"There we go. Sorry if I'm the reason that you guys fell out of the tree. Hope this spot will be okay until you finish evolving."

"Ree?"

Turning around at the sound, Alex saw that the tiny Caterpie hadn't left. Instead, it got closer, possibly curious of the kindness given to its own kind.

Ready to pull out a pokéball and throw, Alex stopped when an idea popped into her head. She almost felt silly for not thinking of it sooner.

Kneeling down, she reached her hand out, keeping the empty ball out of sight for now.

"Hi there. By any chance do you want to come with us? That is if you don't have anywhere to go," Alex asked gently. "I promise to do my best to take good care of you and help you get really strong. You won't have to worry about getting eaten by other Pokémon. we'll keep you safe."

It sounded silly saying this out loud, but the girl reminded herself that Pokémon _are_ intelligent creatures. Most of them understand what people say, especially when it comes to battles or working in places like hospitals and construction.

The caterpillar seemed to contemplate what she offered, the black haired girl unsure if it was interested until crawled closer to her hand. The Pokémon began to gently nuzzle her palm, looking pleased with the offer and gentle approach that was given.

Picking it up, Alex cradled it gently before taking the ball back out, tapping it against the Pokémon, careful not to do it too hard. Immediately, it went inside, the ball clicking shut without any struggling.

Happy with her capture, Alex called her newest addition back out, wanting to think of a good name for it as she had done for the others.

Alex thought about different names, looking at her Pokémon, quickly noticing a pattern between several different Caterpie she's seen earlier. Some had larger antenna while others had smaller ones, hers having a smaller antenna as well.

Thinking more about it, she recalled how her mother's Butterfree had some different patterns on their wings. Some parts of the scales on the male Butterfree were white while the females were black.

That could very well mean a difference in their sex!

"How about I call you, Hana?" Alex giggled when a name finally formed. She picked her Pokémon up, hugging her close, feeling it wiggle around to nestle in closer. "I'm glad that you like it. Welcome to the team."

"Charmeeleon!" Sienna beamed brightly.

The fire type walked over to greet her new friend, letting the bug type inspect her and Lance when he joined them. Ansen was currently sitting on a branch, preening himself, barely acknowledging them.

"Hey, Sienna, think you and Lance could help Hana with catching up? I've been told bug types evolve pretty fast, but until she's a Butterfree and learns Confusion, she'll be pretty vulnerable."

Both Pokémon nodded, understanding the order as the small caterpillar was set down on the ground.

Taking out the map, mainly to gauge how much time it might take to get through Viridian Forest to Pewter City, Alex noticed something.

Pulling out her Pokédex, she compared its map function with the map itself. After a couple minutes, the girl broke out laughing when seeing they weren't even in the forest itself yet.

"Wow, talk about lucky, huh?" she giggled, the others appearing amused as well. "Guess we should actually get inside the forest? Maybe we can try to look around for any other Pokémon that live there."

"Ree!" Hana chattered excitedly.

Going into the deeper part of the forest, Alex found several wild Pokémon hers could battle against. Hana would watch from the sidelines, studying her seniors. The few times that she did battle would be against any Pokémon she would have an easier time against.

Within an hour, the smallest member paused, giving out a small cry as she instinctively began coating herself in silk while her body began to pulsate and glow.

"This is great, Hana! With a bit more training, you'll be able to hold your own!" Alex squealed as she picked the green pupa up, hugging the hard shell. "But before we do so, let's get you and the others healed up. You guys earned it."

"Pod, metapod," the cocoon replied, eyes showing her delight.

Alex quickly did a head count and informed them they were heading back to Viridian City.

Sienna was up front, using controlled bursts of Ember on any wild Pokémon that attempted to attack them.

Lance was trotting alongside his trainer, enjoying being able to walk alongside her and the rest of his newly made family.

Ansen flew overhead, occasionally making a dive at a weaker Pokémon. Alex couldn't be certain if he did it because it was going to attack or he was simply bored.

As for Hana, the trainer carried her, not finding her as heavy as she would have first thought. However, if she started to get too heavy to carry or it started to get dangerous, she'll put her and the others in their balls.

Getting closer to the exit, the dark-haired girl stopped when a flash of yellow ran by, having her jump with a small gasp. Sienna and Lance got closer, growling softly, thinking they were going to be attacked based on their trainer's reaction. Even Ansen had stopped attacking random Pokémon, landing on a branch to watch what had run in front of his trainer.

The grass rustled as the unknown Pokémon popped out, the trainer recognizing it immediately.

"Oh wow, that's a Pikachu!" Alex awed, hugging the bug type excitedly.

She giggled as they watched the electric mouse play with a berry or something, wiggling its rump before pouncing the fruit and rolled around with it. it sorted of reminded her of a cat, particularly Meowth, finding the actions rather cute. She wondered if it might be young.

Tempted as she was to catch it, she resisted, wanting to focus getting her Pokémon treated over getting more Pokémon.

The Pikachu stopped playing when it heard growling, ears flattening as it arched its back, sparks dancing off its body.

Pulling her Pokédex out, Alex listened to the device tell her about the Pokémon. while she knew about Pikachu, it couldn't hurt to not only refresh her memory but ensure the device continued to work.

"That's so cool," she smiled. Leaving the electric mouse alone, she waved it goodbye as the others followed her closely. "I hope we'll run into another in the future. They're really cute. Plus I bet we could use an electric type down the road."

"Nido," Lance grunted softly.

They eventually left the forest and followed the trail back to the city, the familiar building coming into view.

As they entered, the nurse greeted them with a warm smile.

"My, your Pokémon are growing exceptionally well, Alex," Nurse Joy beamed brightly. She looked at them before they were put in their pokéballs and handed to her for treatment. "It's not often I get to see a beginner with this many evolved Pokémon."

"Thank you. I wanted to make sure that they'll be safe by getting them as strong as possible before we go further," Alex answered with a light blush.

"Just keep doing what you're doing and I'm sure they'll become some of the strongest."

"Thank you, I will."

Roughly thirty minutes passed before the nurse called Alex, handing her back the pokéballs with a smile.

The young girl waved goodbye as she left, planning to do some more training.

Not even an hour later, the nurse was surprised when Alex came rushing back, a nervous smile on her face.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah… Apparently, Rattata and Pidgey can get pretty nasty when they're hungry," Alex laughed nervously.

"That's true, they're quite common pests for trainers on the road," the nurse responded with a comforting smile. "At least you're being cautious with your Pokémon. that's the best thing any Pokémon doctor loves to see; a well-cared for Pokémon on each and every visit.

Alex nodded as she handed her the pokéballs again, going to a bench to sit while she waited for everyone to be healed again.

Sitting down, she took her bag off, quickly noticing that there were some holes where a Rattata had been chewing on.

The girl gave it a frown, knowing this bag was practically brand new. Her mother had gotten this for her journey. Sure, she expected some wear and tear during her travels, but she had hoped it would be much later.

"I should get these fixed before they're too big."

Alex got back up, heading to one of the available PCs, logging into her account.

Greeted by the custom screen, she punched in what she wanted to transfer out. She waited a couple of minutes as a small sewing kit was digitally transported to her.

Taking it, Alex picked a table to sit at, emptying her bag so it would be easier to patch the holes. She was grateful that the holes were small, but there were a lot of them.

She'll have to be more mindful of what she packs not only with the weight but what could attract wild Pokémon. Same with saving enough to get a new bag down the road.

By the time she was done, her Pokémon were returned to her possession.

Alex decided that they could take another trip back to the forest. While it was a long walk getting there, it seemed a lot more peaceful than the other places they've trained. It would be a lot safer for Hana, that's for sure. It won't be for another week before she's fully matured to evolve again.

That in mind, Alex proceeded to do just that, having her and her Pokémon travel between the forest and Viridian City. They would take their time training, sometimes spending a night or two in the forest if it got too dark. The trainer would tell her Pokémon all sorts of stories when they camped out. they mostly consisted of her parents' days as trainers or any tales Professor Oak had shared with her and Azure.

Soon enough, the seventh day finally arrived, meaning at any point Hana would evolve.

Excited by this prospect, Alex decided to make it a little special by taking her back to the forest to evolve. She figured it might make the cocoon Pokémon feel more comfortable since her evolution was different from the others.

Upon reaching the dense forest, Alex wandered around, exploring the worn paths left by previous trainers. Occasionally she would find some discarded items here and there, keeping them when determining they still worked.

Pushing through some bushes, Alex felt her heart skip a beat at what she found.

"Oh wow, look you guys. It's another Pikachu!"

The trainer noticed there was something different, pulling her Pokédex out again. She compared the image with the Pokémon, finding the wild one's fur looked darker. It looked almost golden with a hint of orange. It seemed to have reddish-brown stripes and at the base of its tail. Even the cheeks seemed redder, but that could have been due to the brilliant color dominating its tiny body.

"It can't be… Is it really a _shiny?_ " Alex wondered.

She stared at the Pokémon, remembering what Azure told her as well as what she heard around town.

Her of all people getting to see a shiny Pokémon, and it was her second encounter in her life no less!

"Pika?"

The golden mouse stopped what it was doing, cocking an ear in her direction. It turned to face her with large eyes.

Nervously, Alex knelt down so not to intimidate the Pokémon, keeping her movements slow, ordering her Pokémon not to attack.

"H-hi there, don't be scared. I won't hurt you," Alex reassured. She held her hand out so it could examine and sniff her.

Feeling like she was dreaming, the extraordinary creature walked over. It was alert, but curious as it studied her hand, sniffing it at different angles. It looked to Sienna and the others staring, the fire type giving a friendly smile as did Lance. Ansen looked indifferent, but not hostile and Hana's eyes showed her happiness.

"Pika!" it chirped excitedly, rubbing its furry head into Alex's hand.

The girl hesitantly scratched its head, feeling the body vibrate lightly, wondering if it was purring or trying to at least.

Small jolts of electricity coursed through her, sending a pleasant sensation instead of pain, making her giggle.

"Would you like to come with me?" Alex asked.

In the back of her mind, she had a hard time believe her incredible luck.

Even if this Pikachu wasn't shiny, given they hadn't caught anything in Viridian Forest left her free to obtain a Pokémon still, an electric type to be exact! At least, that's what she's hoping for.

"Chuu!" the Pikachu purred, nuzzling deeper into her hand. It seemed to be trying to get as close as possible to her body as it wiggled its way closer.

"He's so friendly," Alex mused, unable to hold back a smile.

With her free hand, she grabbed an empty pokéball. She held it out before the electric mouse, letting him take notice than bopping it on the head without warning.

"Pika!"

Alex watched in awe as the Pokémon smacked the ball, hitting the button, having it activate and suck him inside. When the ball closed, it barely wiggled for a moment before it stilled itself.

Alex stared at it in shock, dawning on her that she actually caught a shiny Pokémon.

With a toss of the ball, she called her new Pokémon out, watching him bristle in surprise and shake, likely to get used to the strange sensation. When he looked around and found her, a huge smile formed, appearing not fazed at all that he was captured.

"Welcome to the family, Ken," Alex beamed.

"Pika pi!" he cried out, leaping into her arms.

"Holy crap, it was _real?_ " a familiar voice cried out as Azure ran up. "So it _was_ a Pikachu and not a Weedle. Man, was I way off. How did you find him?"

"I wasn't even looking. I just spotted him while I was training Hana and exploring around."

"Who?"

"My Metapod. I caught her outside the forest."

"Oh wow, and she's already a Metapod? How long before she evolves?"

"Sometime today I'm hoping."

"That's so cool!"

The two talked a bit before another voice spoke up, causing the kids to glare and most of the girl's Pokémon growl.

"So, we meet again?" the young man from before greeted, sounding annoyed.

" _You_ again?" Azure growled, standing protectively next to his friend. "What the hell do you want?"

Ignoring him, the young man turned his focus to Alex. "That's quite a rare Pokémon you've gotten. If you wanted to, you could sell it for a good price."

"There's no way I would ever sell Ken," Alex spat out as she hugged her Pokémon. the rest joined her, creating a protective circle around her and Azure. "I asked him to join so we can travel, not trade or sell him."

"You _asked_ it? What sort of trainer asks a Pokémon?" the young man asked with a sharp laugh. "Only a fool would treat their Pokémon as friends. That professor really has filled your heads with nonsense."

"No, he hasn't! Don't you dare insult him, you bastard!" Azure snapped, fists curling as he glared at the older boy. "Who the hell do you think you are anyway?"

"A smart trainer unlike you two, brats," the other spat as he continued to eye the unique mouse as well as Sienna. "It's a real waste, really. Handing out rare Pokémon to useless brats such as you two."

"Don't you come near Sienna!" Alex cried out as she wrapped an arm around her Pokémon. "She's more than a rare Pokémon to me. She's my friend, all of my Pokémon are!"

"Talking like that will only serve to get them killed."

"No, it won't. So long as we trust each other, we'll get stronger."

"Are you sure about that, little girl?" the young man taunted. He pulled out a pokéball, enlarging it. "How about you prove it?"

Alex paled, unsure if they could win as the other released a mean looking Meowth.

"Leave her alone!" Azure shouted, throwing a pokéball of his own. "Spearow, be ready!"

"Meowth, make a meal out of it," the other chuckled.

The cat lets out a hungry growl, lunging for the bird, Spearow barley dodging.

"Keep dodging and use Leer!"

"Trying to lower Meowth's defenses?" the older trainer laughed. His Meowth had climbed its way up a tree, using its natural lithe to weave through the branches. "Pay Day!"

With another cry, the cat shot out a barrage of glowing coins, hitting its mark as the bird let out a shriek as one of its wings was torn apart.

"Spearow!" Azure screamed as he recalled his Pokémon.

"You still think they'll get stronger through friendship?"

Angry tears coursed down the brunet's face as he glared at him, letting out a shout when the Meowth suddenly lunged at Alex.

"Alex!"

"Pika!"

Without warning, Ken let loose with a strong Thunder Shock, electrocuting the area, shocking not only the cat but everyone else as well.

"Shit…" the teen growled, recalling his Pokémon. He got to his feet, staggering a little from the attack. "Don't think this will be the last time, brat."

With that he left, moving slowly as his body still tingled, knowing that it will last for a while before wearing off.

"Hn…" Azure groaned as he regained consciousness. He saw that the other was gone, the other Pokémon waking up, doing a quick head count to see they were all here, including his own. "Hey, Alex…"

He stopped, eyes wide when finding her on the ground unconscious still. Realizing she must have taken the brunt of the attack, he became scared.

Her Pikachu was sitting on Alex's chest, pawing at her face in an attempt to wake her up to no avail.

"Alex!" he cried out, running to her side. "Oh man, oh man, what do I do?"

Looking at the other Pokémon, he gave them a worried look before glancing at a path that leads to the exit.

"J-just hang in there, Alex. I'll be back. I'll get help, I swear it!"

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 5 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

* * *

 **I know there aren't any shiny Pokémon in the original R/B/Y games, but who says I can't take a creative twist? Ken was still a first encounter regardless.  
**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	9. Chapter 9

~What were you _thinking?_ You could have killed us!~ a distorted voice scolded angrily towards another.

"Ugh…" Alex groaned softly. The speakers seemed to not take notice of her slowly waking up as they continued.

She kept her eyes squeezed shut, her head pounding in absolute agony, her body tingling still from the electric shock. Who knew a Pikachu could be so strong?

~I-I'm sorry; I didn't mean to use that much strength! I didn't want that Meowth to hurt her. I really do like her, I swear! I didn't mean to hurt her or any of you guys!~ another cried pitifully based on his sobbing.

~Hey!~ another called out. ~She's coming to!~

~Thank the gods,~ the first one sighed with relief.

"What happened?" Alex wondered, finally forcing her eyes open. She could see that she was in a white room, not a forest. "Where am I?"

~Take it easy, you were out of it for a while,~ the first voice tried to reason, claws resting on her shoulder.

"Sienna?"

~I'm here,~ the voice reassured, the Pokémon coming into view. ~We were so worried when you wouldn't wake up. If Azure hadn't come back with doctors, who knows what could've happened.~

"I must be dreaming. There's no way you can talk. It's impossible…" the girl muttered softly as she fell back onto the bed.

~Wait… You can…you can understand me? _Understand_ us?~ the fire type asked with a shocked expression. ~But how…unless it was from Ken's Thunder Shock! It must have done something to make it possible for you to understand us.~

"That or I'm hallucinating," Alex commented softly.

~You should still rest. Hallucination or not, it's better for you,~ the fire type spoke, the girl willing to agree.

~We're just glad that you're okay,~ a young male stated. She looked over to see Lance on his hind legs to peer over with a relieved expression.

"Thanks…" she smiled as she felt herself starting to doze off, feeling something furry hop in bed with her. "Ken?"

~Here… I'm _so_ sorry for shocking you, shocking everyone. I panicked…~

"It's okay; you were protecting me from that Meowth. You were scared, I was too."

~You're not mad?~

"No, I'm not mad," she smiled, pulling the mouse close, hugging him. "How _did_ I get here though? You said something about Azure?"

~He ran back to get help. Doctors came and brought you here. We weren't sure how you were doing until you were stable. We were put into our pokéballs for almost the whole time until Azure finally let us out a little while ago.~ Sienna explained.

"Where is he?"

~Not sure, he stepped out. Probably to see how Spearow's doing.~

"Is it okay?"

~I can't be for certain, but I don't think so,~ the fire type sighed as she gave the girl a soft look, seeing how tired her trainer was. ~Please rest, Alex. You went through a lot.~

Right on cue, the girl fell asleep, not waking up again until much later, seeing the clock on the wall, reading it was near dinner.

Sitting up, feeling more rested, she looked around, seeing her Pokémon spread out, Azure even here, slumped in a chair.

"Azure?"

"Hn…" he grumbled in his sleep.

Getting up, she walked over, gently nudging him awake, the boy slowly opening his eyes, snapping them open completely when seeing her.

"Alex, you're okay!' he cried out, as he shot to his feet, hugging her tightly. "You don't know how worried I was, your Pokémon even!"

"I'm glad I'm okay too," she laughed as she returned the gesture. "What about your Spearow? How is it?"

"Not too good…"

"What happened?"

"There was severe nerve damage, so I can't battle with him anymore. I sent him home so Dad can look after him. Maybe he could find a way to fix him so he could at least fly again. It isn't fair he's grounded like this."

"What about that guy?"

"He took off, if I ever see him again, I'll make him pay for hurting Spearow. For threatening to hurt you even…"

"Azure…"

She's never seen him like this and part of it worried her, not that she could blame him for hating someone so much. He probably had a lot of plans for Spearow, if not as a battler, for other things it could've done to make it happy.

"I'm sorry, I'm just glad that you're okay," the boy whispered. "How are you feeling? If you don't think you can walk, I can get something if you're hungry."

"I am a bit hungry," she laughed nervously, placing her hands on his stomach.

"Then let's get something to eat, you can walk, right?"

"I should be okay," she reassured as she paused when looking at her outfit. "I should change first though."

"S-sure, I'll wait outside, give you privacy," Azure stuttered as he stepped out.

Unable to suppress a smile, she quickly went to the bathroom, taking a quick shower to freshen up, throwing clean clothes on, opting to skip her hoodie for the time being.

When she stepped out, meeting with the boy, they began to walk to the eating area, both chatting away.

Once they were seated with food on their plates, their Pokémon out and given food, the girl hearing them talk the entire time, understanding them perfectly.

It unnerved her a little, unsure if she was still hallucinating or what.

"Azure?"

"Yeah?"

"Did anything strange happen after we got shocked?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, maybe I'm still out of it, but I swear I can hear my Pokémon talking. I mean _actually_ talking, as you and I are now."

"I heard stories of the Viridian Forest having a weird power or something, why don't we give my dad a call? He may know more about it or know someone who does."

"You don't think I'm crazy?"

"You could be, but you're not. I know you too well," Azure reassured, flashing a toothy grin at her, making her start laughing. "What?"

"You have a piece of celery sticking out of your teeth."

"Seriously?" he cried out, taking the napkin dispenser to see his reflection.

~Strange kid, always worried about his looks,~ a voice muttered, the girl glancing over, seeing her friend's Pidgey and Squirtle talking together.

~Come on, he's not _that_ bad,~ Squirtle laughed nervously, trying to defend the boy.

"Alex?"

"Oh, sorry."

"Did my Pokémon say something?"

"I think your Pidgey insulted you, he said something about you always worrying about your appearance."

"Pompous bird, he's almost always grooming himself!" Azure growled as he glared at the bird, seeing it give him a surprised look that their conversation was heard.

~I _told_ you she can understand us,~ Hana laughed, seeing the bird get flustered.

~Shut up before I make a meal out of you!~ he threatened, puffing himself up to get as big as possible.

~Wh-what?~

~Harm her, and you deal with me,~ a stern voice growled, revealing to be Ansen.

~Tch… Whatever,~ Pidgey clucked as he flitted off a bit, obviously moping.

~Thank you, Ansen.~

~Whatever.~

"How is it we get _two_ cranky Pidgey?"

"Huh?"

"Yours has an attitude as well as mine," Alex explained when seeing the standoff, hearing every word spoken.

"Wow, you think they're related?" Azure asked, giving a surprised look when both birds started snapping at him for the comment.

"I doubt it," she laughed nervously, hearing all sorts of profanity shot at the boy.

Managing to settle them down, they finished eating before going to one of the available phones, calling the professor.

 **"It's such a relief to see you're okay, Alex. You had us all worried when Azure called,"** Oak nearly rambled.

"I'm glad to be okay too," the girl smiled.

 **"Azure also told me you found a shiny Pokémon, very lucky for you."**

"Thanks, I'm really glad to have found Ken."

"Hey, Dad," the boy spoke up, catching his father's attention. "There's something we wanted to ask you if that's okay."

 **"What is it?"**

"Well, is it possible for people to understand Pokémon?" the boy blurted out, the girl surprised he'd ask so fast, let alone ask for her.

Guess he _does_ know her pretty well, knowing she'd probably beat around the bush, probably too scared to outright and ask.

 **"You may need to elaborate a little more than that. Do you mean _actually_ understanding what they're saying?"**

"Yes."

 **"Did something happen to you two?"**

"It started when I woke up. I don't know if I'm going crazy, but I _swear_ I can hear my Pokémon talk, hearing other Pokémon talking. Azure said something about Viridian Forest having strange powers."

 **"I might've heard about something like it a long time ago, but I can't be certain it's the exact cause. You were electrocuted by your Pikachu, correct?"**

"Yes."

 **"As you're both aware of, people like us as well as Pokémon, or any organic matter, have some sort of natural electrical current right down to the tiniest atom. We are able to use those currents for studies from magnetism to patterns in a living brain."**

"So you're saying that the shock might've done something to my brain then? In the language section that is?"

 **"I believe so; I have more faith in that happening than given special powers. Not to say magic doesn't exist, but it is better to look at _all_ possibilities before jumping to conclusions. If you'd like, I could swing by tomorrow morning to check on you. I would rather not risk either of you walking back to Pallet Town, you especially, Alex."**

"I understand, Professor."

"Same here."

 **"I know a lot of has happened, but know that things like this sadly can happen. I've told you this before."**

"I know, but still…"

"Steven said that too," Alex inquired, getting looks from the other two. "Sorry, he's a trainer a met shortly after I arrived here, getting the Pokédex that is."

 **"I see, he sounds like a wise man."**

"He is, he even suggested I try catching a Caterpie, leading me to get Hana," she explained as she picked up the cocoon.

"Lucky you got advice for that," Azure teased as she put her Pokémon back down.

 **"I don't know why, but that name sounds familiar…"**

"Maybe you heard about him? He told me he got as far as six badges before getting bored and stuck to wandering."

 **"I think that might be the very same one I heard about back when I was still a trainer, just before I decided to aim at becoming a professor."**

"Wow, he got _six_ badges? That's so cool, and he was here and helped you out!"

"Yeah, he's really nice, and he's got a really cool Jolteon."

 **"Jolteon?"**

"Jolteon?"

"Yeah, he named it Henry, lets him travel outside his ball too."

 **"Did he have a Bulbasaur with him or any of its evolutions?"**

"No, he said he started with one, but when he told me what he had, he didn't mention it now that I think about it. Maybe it's back home with his family?"

 **"Maybe or there's more to what he said about becoming bored battling. Something could've happened to Bulbasaur that turned him away from competitive battling."**

"That might explain it, that and all the scars he and Henry had."

"Scars? Creepy…"

 **"I see… He likely _did_ suffer a rather painful loss. It would explain why he never finished collecting the badges, even disappearing from the media for so many years."**

"Was he that popular?"

 **"He was considered a prodigy, able to catch normally hard to control Pokémon, coming up with unique strategies to win against tough battles. From what I recall, he actually beat the Vermilion Gym with only a Staryu."**

"Wow, can't blame him getting famous if newsmen saw that or even heard of it."

"And if he lost his Bulbasaur, that and with the media on him, it might've driven him to seclusion, so he could be forgotten. Kinda sad when you think about it."

 **"It is, but we really don't know. As you said, Alex, his Bulbasaur could be fine and is simply staying home, either retired or not interested in battling. It can happen and often does. I've also raised Pokémon that stopped wanting to battle for any reason and I would send them home or find them a new home if they were happy."**

"I hope so…"

"So Dad, are you actually going to come by to check on Alex?" Azure asked, trying to change the topic when seeing how sad she looked.

 **"Only if Alex feels it would be beneficial."**

"I guess it couldn't hurt. It would at least confirm that I'm not hurt where the other doctors might've not seen right away."

 **"Alright then, I'll get things packed and head on over tomorrow morning. Try to get some rest, you two."**

"We will," both replied as they hung up.

"You okay, Alex?"

"I'm fine, guess that talk about Steven just got to me. I mean, yeah, I thought his scars were pretty strange, you rarely see them on trainers."

"But the fact he got them and if he's considered a prodigy in battling, he probably got them protecting his Pokémon. So they're like badges in their own right," Azure tried to reassure.

"I guess you're right."

"Come on, why don't we hit the sack? Dad will be here and he'll want you rested."

Nodding, the two went to one of the rooms to get some rest, their Pokémon following closely behind.

When morning came, the children woke to a terrified scream, causing them to fall out of their beds. They looked around before eyes settled on a panicking Pikachu.

~Hana's broken!~ Ken wailed as he ran back and forth, clearly not knowing what to do.

"Ken. Ken calm down!" Alex cried out, managing to grab her Pokémon, keeping him still long enough. "What's going on? What's wrong with Hana?"

"What the heck's going on?" Azure groaned as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "What's wrong with your Pikachu?"

"Something's wrong with Hana," she answered quickly, scouting for her Pokémon, finding cracks along the husk. "H-Hana?"

~She was like that, I didn't do anything, I swear!~ Ken cried, burying his face into his trainer's shirt.

"Easy, Ken, it's okay," she comforted before a gruffer voice spoke up.

~She's evolving you, idiot,~ Ansen grumbled, not fully awake, but fully pissed.

~Ansen!~ Sienna snapped as a glow came from the cocoon's body.

Before long, a body emerged from the remains, wings unfolding themselves, a fully evolved Butterfree flitting about.

~I evolved! I finally evolved!~ Hana cheered happily.

"Oh wow, you look amazing!" Alex laughed as she pried the Pikachu from her. "See, Ken, she's okay. She was evolving; I completely forgot she was due."

"That's so cool, I never got to see a Butterfree evolve before," Azure spoke up.

"Me neither, this is really awesome."

"I bet she's hungry after evolving."

~I sure am!~ Hana laughed, fluttering over to the boy, landing on his shoulder, chattering happily as she tickled his face with her antenna.

"Okay, I may not be able to understand _what_ she said, but I think I get the gist," he laughed as he managed to make her stop.

Laughing as well, the pair took turns in the bathroom to clean up and change, heading to the eating area, piling their plates for themselves and their Pokémon.

"Wonder when the professor will be here?"

"I'm sure he'll be here soon, he knows the same shortcuts as your mom, and if not that, if he's in that much of a hurry, he'll use Dragonite to fly here."

"That's true."

Shortly after they ate, the man in question showed up, dressing more casual than his normal lab coat, likely to avoid someone bugging him right away.

"Alex, Azure," he greeted, the kids going to him.

As they talked a bit, they paused as he spoke with Nurse Joy, asking to use one of her empty examination rooms to do look over on Alex. He wanted to be certain she was okay as well as do a check over his son just to be safe.

Afterward, both were given a thorough physical, the girl mostly, the professor finding nothing out of the ordinary. He told them this as they headed back to the main lobby to sit and chat than taking up one of the examination rooms.

"That's a relief, but I still wonder what made me understand Pokémon. Was it Ken's Thunder Shock, the forest having powers, or something else or a combination?"

"So will Alex have to keep doing tests?"

"Not unless she wants to or she starts feeling off, like dizziness or any other of the known symptoms related to getting electrocuted," Oak said, writing them down. "You don't have to micromanage how you're doing, but if it's obvious or seems really unusual, get to the nearest Pokémon Center or hospital. Other than that, you seem to be in perfect health."

"That's a relief," Alex sighed as she accepted the paper. "I'll admit, I was kind of hoping there would be something to explain how I can understand Pokémon."

"Sadly our technology isn't there just yet, but if there's a chance it's a result of something supernatural, I know a few trustworthy friends who specialize in the area. I'll talk to them and learn more about the forest. Maybe even look to see if there were any cases similar to yours."

"You think there are others?"

"I wouldn't be surprised, I doubt Alex is the first and probably won't be the last. But if there are others, I can't say if I would be able to talk with them or not. It would depend on what I find."

"Maybe Nicholas could help? From how he made Johto sound, there seem to be some religious sects."

"There were a few when I traveled there years ago, but it can't hurt to ask."

"I'm sure you'll find something, even if it's just theories, it'd be better than nothing," Azure reassured as they sat at an isolated booth together.

"Alex, I know that this is all new, maybe frightening even, but what's it like being able to understand Pokémon? To understand _yours_ especially?"

"Well, it's still really strange, confusing even trying to determine if it's a Pokémon talking or a person. And in the beginning, I thought I might've been going insane. But at the same time, it's really cool. Since I can understand them, I'll be able to know what they want better than trying to guess what they want."

"I'll admit, I am a bit jealous, but I'm sure you'll use your gift wisely."

"Maybe understanding Pokémon will help me better as a trainer? Not just knowing what they want, but any future Pokémon I encounter. I can just talk to them, get to know them before catching them or have them point me to one who would like to be captured," Alex theorized, the professor agreeing.

"That kind of skill will probably help you win a lot of battles!" Azure laughed.

"Maybe, I'll just have to try and get used to telling the voices apart so I don't accidentally throw a pokéball in someone's face," Alex laughed, the others laughing as well.

"That could be problematic," Oak chuckled.

"Yeah, it really hurts," she groaned softly as she rubbed her nose lightly, recalling when she captured Ansen.

"I should get back soon."

"Expecting something?"

"Yeah, some inspectors from the Pokémon League are coming by. They'll want to see the new land for the ranch to get an estimate of how much they're willing to help pay. Between renovating the house out, building stables, to actually reconstructing parts of the land to make it more balanced for various species of Pokémon, it's going to be costly."

"That's true, but the fact that the Pokémon League will help pay for it is good."

"Very true, though even if I find I'm still short, I can always call up some friends who owe me favors or would simply want to help."

"I wouldn't be surprised if Nicholas helped too."

"Same here," Oak smiled as he hugged the pair, "be careful you two. If anything happens, don't hesitate to call me, okay? I don't care if it's late at night or early in the morning. I want to make sure you two are safe."

"We'll be sure to be careful," Azure reassured as he hugged his father.

"If anything happens, we'll be sure to call you, hopefully on good news than something bad," Alex spoke, the last part mostly in a whisper.

Like that, Oak left, the pair left to their own devices, Alex deciding to try and get used to her newfound ability. She'll need to tell the difference between a Pokémon and human talking; she wouldn't want to make a mistake.

Azure helped her out for a few days before they decided to part ways, letting him go ahead in training, the girl not wanting to hold him back from pursuing his goals.

Between all this, Alex got to know her Pokémon better, even helping Azure learn more about his Pokémon. Even came up with ideas to help understanding one another easier when she isn't around to act as translator.

After a few more days passed, Alex decided she was okay enough to try training, not feeling as tired nor getting lightheaded as before.

She wouldn't go too far out but wanted to help her Pokémon train, knowing Azure was likely gearing up if not already making his way through Viridian Forest. She doesn't even know if he had caught any Pokémon there or not. Part of her hope she gets something really cool or gets a Caterpie like she had so he'll have a Butterfree for any future battles.

Despite that, she used her time and energy to work on Hana and Ken so that they could catch up before working on Ansen.

She knew she was probably neglecting him somewhat, but she also wanted to use the time they spent training to learn more about her ornery bird.

While she did let him out to train of his own free will, she knew that she still had to keep an eye on him regardless.

Therefore, when her newest catches were mostly caught up, she figured it would be best to work on her very first catch.

Hopefully, she'll be successful getting him to talk, knowing he didn't answer much other than basic questions sent his way. Despite how much of a pain in the ass he is, she does love him and wants them to be friends, maybe a family even.

"Hey, Ansen…" Alex started as she watched the bird train hard.

~What?~ he huffed after beating a Caterpie, or more like, devouring it whole.

Alex couldn't help but feel grateful Hana wasn't here to freak out, knowing she was a sweet girl and would've been easily upset.

That also meant she would have to be either stricter with him not to eat bug types owned by trainers or not have him out at all.

Seeing he was waiting for an answer, she took a deep breath to start.

"I know you listen to my commands whenever we battle against other Pokémon. But why don't you listen when I tell you not to attack or when I try to catch a Pokémon? What about back at the Pokémon Center when you blew all that food around? What was up with that?"

He turned away, not appearing interested, upsetting her as he flew to battle some random Pidgey bragging about being king of the area.

"Ansen, I'm serious, I need to know what's wrong so we can work it out. You can't keep disobeying me like this. Not every place will be as lenient as Nurse Joy was when you pulled that stunt. I don't want to risk getting in trouble or risk having you taken away if they felt you were considered a danger."

The bird stopped as he heard this, turning to her, allowing the bragging bird to fly away in fear.

~Then what's the problem? You can always get another Pidgey if I'm that much of a problem or others see me that problematic.~

"No, I can't. There's a law right now that prevents trainers from catching lots of Pokémon, especially more than one of the same species. And even if that law wasn't in effect, I wouldn't want to lose you. Pain in the ass or not, I do really care about you."

~A law? So that explains why I hadn't seen dozens of kids like you running around catching numerous Pokémon.~

"Yeah, it's to help with the poaching problem that's been going on," Alex explained, the Pidgey listening intently.

~I see…~

"Ansen, is there something wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

~Not necessarily, most of it I guess is rather childish as your kind would say,~ he answered, his feathers fluffing a little in embarrassment. ~I've been rather peeved that you were able to catch me. I still am for the most part.~

"If you're mad about being caught, why do you stay?"

~I want to get stronger,~ he commented, eyeing a Rattata stalking through the grass.

He immediately dove at it, surprising his trainer with how close he shot past her. Within minutes, the rodent was sent flying with a gust of wind, landing with a hard thud before getting up and fleeing.

"Is there any reason why?"

~Nosey, aren't you?~

"I just want us to be friends. If there's a reason you want to get stronger, I'd like to try and help you achieve it."

~I just enjoy battling, there's nothing special about it. I enjoy the rush I get when facing opponents, strong ones especially,~ Ansen explained. ~I want to keep fighting and getting stronger. While I'm not exactly happy about getting captured, especially in such a humiliating fashion for _both_ of us…~ Alex gave a nervous laugh. ~I _am_ enjoying the results being with you.~

"So that's why you stayed? To get stronger with me? With us?"

~Yes, I want to keep fighting strong opponents for as long as I possibly can,~ he nodded, giving her a sharp look. ~So don't _ever_ replace me without my permission, do you understand?~

"I wasn't planning to replace you unless it was serious," Alex reassured, seeing him look a bit relieved to hear that.

~Also, if you don't mind, I'd like to address a few rules.~

"Rules? What _kind_ of rules?"

She didn't like how it sounded, especially with what looked like a mischievous glint in his eyes.

~You said that there has been a poaching problem, correct?~

"Yeah, there had been some species that were nearly wiped out because of it. So they addressed a capture limit for each area for the populations to grow again. And like I said earlier, aside only getting one per area, we can't get duplicate Pokémon. The only way to do that is if someone was training a particular type or species of Pokémon, so they would need to get a special license to do so."

~Interesting,~ he mused, ~then we'll add to it for ourselves.~

"Add to it?"

Ansen nodded as he flew over to her, landing on her shoulder.

~You heard me. From here on out, any new area we come across, you get only one shot to catch a Pokémon _we_ find for you. If you fail to convince it to join, then too bad.~

"So you're adding more limitations?" Alex asked, a little surprised by the request.

~You said you're new. While I'm not an old wise Pokémon, I can assure you I've seen trainers make mistakes in the past by gathering too many Pokémon and not knowing what to do with them.~

"But if I limit myself by not going back to certain areas, it'll make things harder," Alex said with some concern.

~Everything has risks,~ Ansen shrugged. ~But if you allow yourself a chance to backtrack or spend endless hours finding a Pokémon, you won't get anywhere. By limiting your chances to get more, you'll have to think more wisely.~

"I suppose you're right, it actually makes sense. I never thought about something like that happening," the girl whispered. "Alright then, anything past Viridian Forest will be a one shot instead of how we were doing before. But if I find something or a Pokémon asks to join and I hadn't caught anything, then they can join, okay?"

Ansen's eyes lit up that she agreed, though soured slightly at her add in, but relented since it was still roughly the same.

~Good, I feel that it'll work out in our favor this way. Now that we got this out of the way, may I resume training?~ he asked sarcastically.

"Sure, but if we're going to do this, we'll need to tell the others."

~It would be dumb not too.~

"Good," she giggled as he flew off. "Glad we're on the same team."

The bird said nothing as he dove into some bushes, tackling several of his kind.

The moment they were defeated, his body began to glow brightly, signaling his evolution as his form grew larger and fiercer.

~About damn time,~ he stated happily, stretching his larger wings.

"That's great, you look so much stronger!" Alex beamed as he flew up to test his strength on some branches. She watched as they snapped in his talons due to his newfound strength.

~Yeah, yeah…~ he muttered as he gave her a mischievous glint, the girl realizing what is about to happen.

Like that, she took off, running for the Pokémon Center, the bird chasing and attacking her the entire way.

"Ansen! Will you _ever_ grow up?"

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 5 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

* * *

 **I wanted to make how the Pok** ** **é** mon talk around Alex unique to show the difference. If you think it's too confusing, I'll fix it to something better.**

 **This goes for other kinds of speech that are used for things like thoughts, memories, media devices, or phone/video conversations.  
**

 **How Alex can understand Pok** ** **é** mon is more or less left up to the reader. As of now, I haven't actually decided how she comes to understand them. That's why there are theories. However, if the more scientific one is entirely wrong or not possible in any way, I'd be more than happy to change it so long as you tell me how and what source you learned it from.  
**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	10. Chapter 10

"I can't believe we're here," Alex said quietly as she and her team stared at the stony architecture that made the Pewter Gym.

When they first arrived in the city, they spent some time at the Pokémon Center to rest from spending a few nights in the forest.

Afterward, the girl did some exploring, talking to the people in town so she could learn more about the gym leader.

One thing she was grateful to learn was that gym leaders are obligated to use a set of Pokémon equal to a trainer's level. This is mostly for beginner trainers so there would be a fair challenge than going at them with their full strength.

She remembered learning in school that the purpose of the gym isn't for the gym leader to remain unbeatable, but to test trainers that challenge them. They would battle them to determine if they deserve a badge, regardless whether they lose or not.

Having that knowledge, she knew that even if she lost, she could still earn her badge depending on what the gym leader is looking for. Yet at the same time, she could run the risk of winning and not earning it.

~Have you ever gone inside?~ Hana asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Alex shook her head, "No, because I wasn't a trainer until a couple weeks ago, I couldn't just come here or go to Viridian City whenever I wanted."

~How come?~

"It wouldn't be safe. Not all Pokémon are friendly like you guys," she said, though gave Ansen a look, having him huff and look away. "Whenever I _did_ travel out of town, I was either with my parents or the Oaks to go to school or go shopping."

~School?~ Ken inquired, hopping up on her shoulder.

"It's a place kids go to learn. We would learn different things like reading and writing as well as math and some science. We would also learn about Pokémon, mostly types and if we intended to become trainers, study about battles."

~That sounds really cool. So you learned a lot?~

"I suppose I did, but I don't know everything nor expected to know everything upon graduating. I could decide to return to school later so I can study to get a job I may want."

~You can go back?~

"Yeah, not all kids remain as Pokémon trainers and challenge gyms indefinitely. Some may and manage to make it into a successful career; others will stop and decide to become something else. They could end up as artists, scientists, doctors, police, firemen, anything really. Some may even study to work a mix, like rangers studying medicine and taking police training."

~What about the Pokémon?~ Lance asked with concern.

"Most trainers keep them, even if they're not entering competitive battles anymore. They may use them for their job depending what it is and what kind of Pokémon they are. Like Azure for example. If he decided to become a fireman, he and Squirtle could train together for that kind of work. Same for his Pidgey if feasible or any other Pokémon he gets."

~Do you have an idea of what to do?~ the poison type asked.

"Not really," Alex admitted. "I haven't really thought about what to do when I'm older. That's partly why I wanted to be a trainer, to find out what I might want to be."

~Enough yapping, let's get inside,~ Ansen huffed, itching to get inside.

While he wasn't going to battle other than as a last resort, he was interested to see what a gym leader's Pokémon are capable of.

From what he's heard of passing trainers and what Alex told them, they sound very strong. If this wasn't a rock gym, he would have demanded to fight, but he had to be smart. He can't get strong by being stupid.

He looked at the ones who would be fighting, recalling their conversation on how they would strategize for the battles.

Lance would fight first, mostly going against Flint's weaker Pokémon, possibly slow the main one down depending how things go. Afterward, depending on what it is and how strong it might be, Sienna or Hana would be sent in. They would take turns to fight, namely using Hana's Sleep Powder to put to sleep, allowing Sienna to hopefully finish it off. It was probably not the best plan, but it was the best she could think of with what she had.

"Okay, get inside everyone. I don't know how Flint would respond to five Pokémon being out of their pokéballs."

She held up the balls, recalling each Pokémon into them until Ken was the only one left.

~Do I _have_ to? I promise not to get in the way,~ Ken pleaded. He pressed his front paws together similar to a prayer.

"I suppose it would be okay. You're small enough not to get in the way and less likely to just start attacking."

~Like Ansen?~

"Yeah, but I told him that for this battle and future gym battles, he _has_ to listen or we'd get disqualified."

~I really hope all of that training pays off,~ the electric mouse whispered nervously, ears lowering.

"I hope so too, we trained way too hard to fail."

As she was about to step inside, a boy grabbed her by the shoulder, stopping her as she spun around.

"Halt, you're light years away from challenging Flint!"

"Wait, what?" she sputtered, confused about what he meant.

"Crud, I didn't mean to say that," the boy sputtered, realizing what he said. "Forget it, you can't go in there!"

"How come?"

"Because I said so, Flint isn't seeing anyone today!"

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Alex asked, the boy giving her a glare.

"Because I said so!" the boy pouted, stomping his foot on the ground.

"I rather hear it from Flint or someone who works here."

"I work here!"

"Really?"

With a smug grin, he pulled out an ID badge to show as proof, the black haired girl unable to really deny it. Sure, she doesn't know if it's real, but if it was and she pushed her way through, she could get in serious trouble.

"Okay, could you at least tell me when he'll have his gym open?"

"No way, I'm not telling you anything."

"You can't do that!"

"Pika!" Ken yipped angrily, getting frustrated like his trainer.

"Yes I can," he stated, sticking his tongue out.

"But that isn't fair to people who're challenging the gyms."

"Fine, if you want to know, then beat me with that weird Pikachu of yours."

"But Ken isn't fighting…"

He didn't listen as he called out a strange Pokémon she didn't recognize.

~Use that red thing to find out about it,~ Ken suggested.

"Okay," she whispered, ignoring the look from the boy as she pulled out the Pokédex.

She scanned the Pokémon, learning it was called a Diglett. With the scan completed, she learned it also didn't know any ground type attacks.

~So?~

"Diglett doesn't know any ground type moves, so if you wanted to, you _could_ fight him."

~No problem.~

The Pikachu hopped down from her shoulder, staring his opponent down, waiting for Alex's command to attack.

"Hold up, you got one of those things _too?_ "

"Things? So Azure was here?" she asked, seeing the boy slap a hand over his mouth.

"Whatever, Diglett use Scratch!"

"Ken, use Quick Attack!"

Using his natural agility, the mouse went to tackle the mole but was surprised when it proved faster as it slashed at him. He barely saw its claws!

With a pain-filled cry, he inspected his injury where the Pokémon scratched him, finding flecks of blood and small cuts on his side.

Giving the ground type a glare, he dove at it, managing to dive after it into one of the holes it had made trying to escape. With while both about the same size, the Pikachu found himself with the advantage as the Diglett couldn't turn quick enough to retaliate.

With a few quick hits, the Pokémon was knocked out, Ken dragging it part way out to prove his victory.

"Damn," the boy cursed as he recalled his Pokémon.

He pulled out his next Pokéball, calling out his Sandshrew, the girl remembering that from school.

Using the small delay given, she took advantage to have Ken return to her side, calling out Lance.

With fiercer moves, the second ground type was knocked down and out cold, the poison type standing as the victor as he made his way back to his trainer.

"You did great," Alex congratulated as she hugged her Pokémon, the other nuzzling against her happily. "Okay, I beat you; could you please tell me what's going on? Did something happen with the gym leader and Azure?"

Knowing he was in a tight spot and already pushing his luck, the other trainer relented, gesturing they sit on a nearby bench.

"No, that kid didn't do anything. He was pretty cool when he and Flint battled. It was the guy after him that made the mess."

"What happened?"

"He creamed Flint's team and proceeded to insult his Pokémon and him."

"That's awful," Alex gasped.

"Tell me about it," the boy sighed. "Flint's been really depressed, so I thought I could redirect trainers or beat them if they were stubborn."

"Didn't go very well."

"Don't remind me," he groaned. "Look, I'm sorry I was a jerk to you. Flint's a really nice guy and I didn't want some other jerk to show up ruining his day further."

"But by chasing trainers away like that might get him in trouble. There are only so many gyms and not every trainer is able to reach all of them."

"I was just trying to help him…"

"Being honest would help, not all trainers are bad. I would have understood."

"Yeah, I guess that's true. Flint was just really bummed out about what that guy said. I didn't want to risk some pushy newbie or know-it-all senior trainer barging in before he had time to pull himself back together."

Looking back at the gym, Alex knew she couldn't really leave without the badge. Even if she _could_ find another gym, it didn't seem right. She had a sinking feeling who it might have been the jerk, one person comes to mind.

"Maybe I could try to talk to him?" she suggested. "Even if he isn't up for battling, maybe having someone to listen and talk might help?"

"You could try, but don't get your hopes up."

Nodding, Alex bid the boy farewell as he left to get his Pokémon healed properly. She stood up and made her way to the doors, pushing them open and stepping inside. It was cooler due to the A.C. running overhead.

The lights were dim, making it hard to see, managing to make her way to the center of the gym. The automatic lights soon flickered on, momentarily blinding her and her Pokémon.

Once her sight was regained, she was amazed at the boulders decorating the place, doubting they were here for appearance alone.

"Hello?" Alex called out, not seeing any signs of anyone that would resemble a gym leader. She noticed what looked like a balcony high above, tempted to call Hana out to check.

She shook her head, knowing it might cause problems if there were Pokémon roaming in this place.

Peering around the different boulders, she finally found who she hoped was the gym leader. He looked like a teenager, possibly young adult sulking behind one of the numerous boulders.

"Umm… Excuse me, by any chance, are you, Flint?" Alex asked, accidentally startling him as he jumped, starting at her with squinted eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

"My name is Alex, I'm from Pallet Town…" she started to introduce herself before he interrupted her harshly.

"So you're here to challenge me and make fun of me too?" he snapped, glaring at her before she could get a word out. "Get out of here! I don't need to hear crap from you either!"

"I'm not here to make fun of you."

"But you're here for my badge, aren't you?"

"Yes…" she admitted softly, rubbing her arm slightly as she looked away. "If you're not up for it, I don't mind waiting. I heard what happened and that wasn't fair."

"No, as a gym leader, I _have_ to accept every challenger that comes my way," Flint stated as he looked at her with questioning eyes. "You started your journey recently, right?"

"Yes, I don't have any badges right now."

"Right…" he whispered as he pulled out two Pokéballs, appearing unsure of himself.

"If you plan on challenging me, I want you to fight me with everything you have! I want to fight a gym leader; they're strong trainers, considered elites next to the trainers in the Pokémon League. Whatever that guy said to you, he's wrong!"

Flint couldn't his surprise as he saw the determined look in her eyes, but could see how she shook in fear.

He realized she was just as scared as he felt incompetent of his own skills, yet here she is, wanting him to go all out then take advantage of his depression.

"Alright, as leader of the Pewter City Gym and specialist in rock type Pokémon, I accept your challenge. I won't go easy on you and I expect you not to hold back either!" Flint called out as he threw one ball, releasing a Geodude.

"Use Horn Attack!" Alex cried out as she called Lance out. "Now use Poison Sting!"

She watched as he successfully poisoned the rock and ground type, only for both to stare in shock when the boy threw a strange looking capsule at it.

The second it burst open, soaking the rock type, her Pokédex beeped, making her pull it out, telling her that her opponent had been healed.

"What the hell?" she muttered softly as she looked at her Pokémon.

For that boy to use an item while in the midst of a battle, he was indeed showing all there is to be a gym leader.

She would never have the proper aim to do something like that, not without lots of practice at least. Even then, she felt she still wouldn't have the proper skills to pull off such a feat as he had done just now.

Shaking her head, she focused back on the battle, ordering her Pokémon to attack and use Leer nonstop.

Slowly, but surely the rock type succumbed to his injuries, unable to keep battling, Lance backing off without any orders given, knowing the fight is won.

"Geodude…" Flint whimpered softly, his hand shaking as he flashed back to his fight against his last challenger.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked, concerned for the young man as she watched him shaking.

Somehow hearing her kind voice, he was able to pull himself together, recalling his Pokémon and getting his final Pokémon set.

"Yeah, you got lucky against my Geodude. But I doubt your exhausted Nidorino will be able to face up against my top Pokémon, Onix!"

"Lance, stand back! Hana's taking over now!" she ordered, having him run to her side as she threw out her next Pokémon.

"A Butterfree?" the gym leader whispered, unsure what the reason could be for such a Pokémon, but shook it off.

"Sleep Powder!"

"Damn!"

Back and forth, attacks were thrown. Every time Onix was put to sleep, Flint threw another full heal, waking the rock type right up.

However, despite his attempts to keep his Pokémon awake and attack, the butterfly was way too fast to keep up.

Before long, the towering snake fell in a heap, the last Confusion sending it flying into the ground.

"I…I lost? I lost again?" he gasped, falling to his knees after recalling his Pokémon, unable to fathom how he could've lost three times in a row.

Walking up to him, Alex held her hand out, a kind smile on her face, "You were great. I know I won, but before, I was so scared about challenging you. But now I'm glad, you showed me I can't be afraid."

"What do you mean? You beat me so easily, I barely had a chance to attack your Butterfree!" he snapped, his voice trembling as he held back tears.

"I…I know, but like I said, I was really scared about challenging you. I was scared of something going wrong, not just with my Pokémon getting hurt badly, but yours too."

"What?"

"Mhm…but when you started throwing those capsules to your Geodude and Onix, it was amazing to see. I never saw a trainer be able to do something like that."

"So…so I'm not some pathetic excuse then?"

"Of course not, whatever he said, it isn't true! I know you're a great trainer. The Pokémon League wouldn't pick just _anyone_ to run a gym without testing them, right?"

"Y-yeah, you're right! I may have inherited this gym from my dad, but I still had to be tested to make sure I _could_ run it! The inspector for gyms said I had a lot of talent for someone as young as I am," Flint laughed as he let the words penetrate through his doubt, a bright smile on his face.

"That's great!"

"Alex is it? Thank you so much. When he beat me, I was at a loss. I didn't really know what to do after the things said to me, the way he treated me and my Pokémon. You see, I recently took over the gym. I've only been running it for about a year and a half now and while I don't have the greatest winning streak, I still fought my hardest."

"It was no problem. I know I we had to fight, but I didn't want to if you were so upset."

"I understand and trainers like you, its trainers like you and Renton I admire. You show kindness not only towards your Pokémon but to trainers and their Pokémon too. I can only assume you've shown kindness towards wild Pokémon."

"When they haven't tried to kill me, I try to leave them be or let them play with my Pokémon when we weren't training."

"That's what I thought and I'm glad."

Fishing through his pocket, Flint pulled out what looked like a shimmering gray pin, holding it out to Alex.

"This is the Boulder Badge; it'll show proof that you've beaten the gym. It'll help give you access to the Pokémon League along with the other seven when you eventually get them."

"Thank you," Alex smiled as she accepted it.

"But I should warn you, there are times a badge can bring bad company, so try to be careful with it and who you show it too."

"Alright, I'll be sure to take care. Thank you so much, Flint."

"Also, you've heard of technical and hidden machines, right?"

"A little, they can help teach Pokémon attacks they normally can't learn without help. TMs can only be used once, while HMs can be used nonstop."

"That right," the young man smiled. "Wait a moment, okay?"

"Sure."

Flint went to the back part of the gym, opening a door she hadn't seen right away, guessing it might be his office or similar to one. After a couple minutes, he came back, carrying a couple of items. In one hand he had what looked like a floppy disk with a small white label on the case. In the other, he had a strange looking box with two slots. One looked to be large enough to insert a disk while the other was large enough to fit a pokéball.

"Sorry about that, figured while you're familiar, I doubted you had one of these," Flint apologized as he handed them to Alex. "This floppy contains all the necessary data files for a move I developed a while back. It's called Bide. It was my Onix's main move, but because of your Butterfree attacking so quickly, I didn't have time to use it properly."

"What does it do?"

"It's a bit of a risk taker. When your Pokémon uses it, they need to take damage, allowing the power that makes up Bide build up. Once it's ready, the Pokémon will instinctively release all that energy either into a blast of energy or brute strength. The result will double whatever your opponent had sent your way, sometimes more depending on how often they're attacked prior."

"That sounds really strong."

"It can be if used right. I suggest that if you do decide to use it, pick a Pokémon that has a high endurance like rock type or certain species like Snorlax."

"That's really cool, thanks for telling me. What about that device?"

"This is used for TMs and HMs to read the data for your chosen Pokémon. Just drop the pokéball in this slot until you hear a click, then insert the floppy. It'll flash red to process and if it turns green, it can learn the move. If it doesn't, it'll make a buzz to inform you."

"So how do I use it?"

"This button will allow you to view your Pokémon's attacks. Because of how much power they have, it's safer they memorize about four moves for both trainer and Pokémon. It'll help them from becoming overwhelmed. And if the Pokémon can learn the attack, you can use the arrow keys to highlight what you want the Pokémon to forget and hit the yellow button."

"How long would it take?"

"Should be fairly quick if done in a pokéball. I'd say about five minutes at max. Of course, some moves can be taught more naturally depending on both the Pokémon and the nature of the attack."

"They never explained it like that in school," Alex said as she accepted the gifts. "Thank you so much for telling me and giving these to me."

"It's no trouble at all. It's the least I could do after what you did. Plus these machines can be really costly at times, especially if you went for a high-grade one like this one."

"Oh wow, I didn't expect that it'd be that expensive."

"Yeah, perks to being a gym leader I suppose," Flint laughed nervously. "By the way, do you have an idea of where you're going now you have your first badge?"

"I remember reading the pamphlet I got that there was a gym in Cerulean City."

"That's right; it's just past Mt. Moon. Take Route 3 to reach it and it'll drop you right on the path that'll take you straight to Cerulean City."

"What kind of gym is it?"

"If I recall, the Cerulean Gym Leader is a water type trainer. So I suspect your Pikachu will be perfect, but it probably wouldn't hurt to get your hands on a grass type or more electric types if you're lucky."

"Yeah, that would be a good idea," she smiled as the two made their way towards the Pokémon Center to heal their partners.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 5 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

* * *

 **With the main anime where Ash and company appear in, I haven't seen any signs of TMs/HMs at all. All of those moves were taught by some third party; wild Pokemon, another trainer, etc. That doesn't mean they don't exist in that universe.**

 **To have something capable of teaching Pokemon attacks almost in an instant, it's likely expensive and not something most trainers would have access to without being filthy rich. Meaning someone like Gary probably wouldn't be able to afford it despite his grandfather's reputation. However, someone like James probably could with how rich his family is.**

 **In regards to Flint inheriting the gym from _his_ dad, that was something I thought would have been fun to do. I saw a pattern where Flint was in charge, then it went to his oldest son, Brock, who later gave the position to one of his younger siblings, Forrest.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	11. Chapter 11

"I heard from Flint that the gym leader is a water type trainer in Cerulean City, have either of you seen him?" Alex asked after taking a bite out of her sandwich.

"Roku? Yeah, he's a really strong water Pokémon trainer as well as a great swimming coach. His wife also helps out with swimming classes of her own, but for small children," a female trainer named Kelsey explained.

~I didn't know gym leaders could do that,~ Ken awed, the girl agreeing silently.

Earlier in the day, sometime after resting and letting Professor Oak and her mother know of her victory, she began her trek towards Mt. Moon and Cerulean City.

At some point, she encountered a few trainers, two of which she had gotten friendly with where Kelsey offered they share a lunch together.

"Hey, can I ask you something, Alex? That Pikachu you have, why does it look so different from others?" a male trainer named Johnny asked.

"Ken? He's a normal Pikachu, but he's classified as a shiny because of his fur."

"But what makes him so special though?"

"Well, a friend told me that some people may have religious views towards shiny Pokémon, good and bad alike. But it's not always good regardless of how they would be treated. There could also be some that look drastically different that would affect their survival rate in the wild against predators."

"That's awful," Kelsey gasped.

"Yeah, that's why I'm really glad to have found Ken," Alex said, petting her Pokémon. "At least with me, he'll be safer. He won't have to worry about possible predators, not that I think there would have been a lot over in Viridian Forest, but you never know."

"He's really cute regardless," Johnny grinned.

"Pikaaa," Ken purred at the attention, nuzzling into his trainer's side.

"How rare do you think shiny Pokémon are?" Kelsey wondered.

"From what I was told, they're harder to find than a legendary Pokémon."

"That rare? That's impressive," the male trainer whistled.

"I suppose it is," Alex laughed nervously.

"Well, shiny or not, he's going to do great against Roku," Kelsey beamed. "He's got the perfect type advantage, but watch out for his Starmie though. I've heard that not only is it tough, but it may know some psychic type moves."

"I'll keep it in mind, thanks."

"If you want to train your Pikachu for the gym, the Zubat are excellent for target practice, same with the Spearow and Pidgey living outside of Mt. Moon's entrance," Johnny added.

"I was thinking of working on Ken for a bit when I was traveling through. Though I hope I'll find a grass type, I don't want to put all the pressure on him when we face the next gym."

"Well, it shouldn't be too big of an issue either way. So long as you don't send out your Charmeleon or Nidorino, you should be okay using the others," Johnny stated with a grin.

"You think so?"

"I'm pretty sure. Plus you'll have plenty of time to find other Pokémon. Outside the mountain, there's some cool Pokémon like the female Nidoran, Mankey, Jigglypuff, and Spearow. And inside the mountain, there are other Pokémon like Paras, Geodude, Zubat, and the occasional Clefairy roaming about."

"I'll keep it in mind, thanks so much, you two."

"It's no trouble at all."

"I have to ask, why did you pick Charmander?"

"Well aside them being cute, I really like the line, mostly Charizard. They're really amazing," Alex explained, going into further detail as the other two listened intently.

"That's really cool, and the fact she's so well tamed, that's impressive," the male trainer spoke as he glanced at the fire type. "When did she evolve?"

"About a month or so ago I think, I didn't really keep track, since after she evolved, we got attacked and she was pretty tired. Thankfully Ansen came to the rescue," she answered with a nervous laugh.

"At least you're okay," the female trainer spoke.

"Same here," she nodded before taking notice of her Pikachu. "Ken, are you okay?"

~Just a little tired from all those battles,~ he answered with a nervous laugh. He had been hoping she wouldn't have noticed so soon, not wanting to worry her.

"Hey, I'm going to head back to the Pokémon Center before I go further. Who knows what else I might find," Alex said as she started to pack her things. "It was great battling you two. I hope we meet again someday."

"Same here take care, Alex," Kelsey called as she waved goodbye along with the other.

"When we've trained some more, I'm going to challenge you again, Alex!" Johnny called as she waved back before hopping a ledge to make the trip back easier.

"Hey!" a trainer called, grabbing the girl's attention. "You should totally wear shorts, you'd look way hotter."

"Umm… No thanks…"

Appearing not to give up, the boy pulled out a pokéball, giving her a grin, "Then I challenge you. If I win, not only do you wear shorts from now on, but you gotta go out with me."

With that, he called out a Spearow, the trainer, and Pikachu looking at one another.

"You up for another battle Ken?" the girl asked her electric friend.

~Yeah, let's teach him some manners!~

"You're on! Let's go, Ken, use Thunder Shock!"

"Oh crap," the boy muttered as his bird went down in one hit, recalling it with a grumble as he gave her the reward money. "You'd still look hot in shorts though."

"I don't really like shorts, sorry," the girl apologized as she took her prize, giving him a firm handshake. "But try not to be so impulsive next time if we were to battle again or you battled another. Girls especially."

"Whatever."

Sighing, she made her way back, managing to not get in more battles with trainers as Ken was pretty tired after the last fight. She had the others, but as she told Kelsey and Johnny, she wanted to try and work on Ken as much as possible.

On their way back, Alex tried to encourage her Pokémon to let her use a potion or go in his pokéball to rest, but he declined, mostly on the potions.

"Ken, why don't you want me to use them though?"

~I know this will sound dumb, but Mt. Moon looks really big. We can see it all the way from Viridian City. I thought it would make more sense to try and save as many as we can before we had to go in. We don't know how long we'll be in there or what we might encounter,~ the Pikachu explained sheepishly.

"I guess that's true, but I don't want you to push yourself and risk getting seriously hurt by not accepting one."

~I know, I'm sore and tired, but that's about it. I'm not seriously hurt, so I'll be fine after we reach the Pokémon Center.~

Arriving back in the city, they went straight to the Pokémon Center, letting Ken heal up as long as necessary.

The rest she called out to talk with, not wanting to try and hold a conversation with the Jigglypuff hanging around. Alex was familiar with their reputation for putting people to sleep when they sing.

How the nurse was able to keep awake was beyond her. Although, she was more surprised when seeing her look identical to the Nurse Joy back in Viridian City.

~Alex, what are you planning to do with that thing the gym leader gave you?~ Hana asked.

~Thing?~ Ansen raised a feathery brow as he perched himself on the back of a chair.

"I got this TM called Bide. It's supposed to help teach Pokémon how to use it properly. But I'm not really sure how or whether to use it now or wait later."

~What does it do?~ Sienna asked.

"From what Flint told me, Pokémon that use Bide store energy and release it after getting attacked a few times. It's supposed to be really strong, but I don't know. I don't to want risk hurting you guys trying to use it. Flint suggested if I used it, pick someone with a lot of endurance so they can use it properly."

~What kind did he suggest?~ Lance asked.

"Either rock types or Pokémon that have a high defense like Snorlax."

~I'm sure we'll find a Pokémon like that if none of us feel comfortable using it,~ Hana beamed brightly as she fluttered onto her trainer's head.

~I'm sure we will if we work together,~ Sienna added.

~Do you think the other gym leaders hand out TMs too?~ Lance asked.

"Who knows, it'd be kinda cool though. It would help too for some of you being able to use something you might not be able to learn easily."

~I hope so, that would be really fun,~ Hana laughed before nudging her trainer. ~Alex, it looks like Ken's all better.~

Seeing she was right, the trainer walked over with the rest of her Pokémon following, smiling brightly at the woman.

"Here's your Pikachu, fully rested and healed."

"Thank you very much."

With a wave, the young trainer left the Pokémon Center, the rest of her Pokémon following close behind.

Upon returning to Route 3, any trainers that were present, she had Ken battle them all, allowing him to get extra experience. The few he couldn't handle, she had the others take care of them as needed.

When reaching near one of the main entrances to Mt. Moon, Alex saw a small Pokémon Center set up not far. She decided they could stop there to rest so they can plan how to approach going in.

After all their marching, many were tired from it, some more than others when having to battle trainers, even opting to skip catching a Pokémon until they've rested.

As she waited, exploring the older looking medical center, she was amazed how different it was style-wise.

Walking past a man, she heard him grumbling at the newspaper, saying something about the crime organization, Team Rocket making headlines again.

She mentally shuddered, having heard about the group, the trouble they've caused, hoping she never meets them.

Taking a seat, she let herself relax before spotting a large aquarium filled with various fish, particularly large ones.

"Magikarp?" she muttered as she got up to check them out better.

"Interested in one?" an older man asked, sitting on a chair, having it reversed to let his chin rest on its back.

"You sell Magikarp?"

"Yup and damn proud of it," he laughed, "I know they're pretty pathetic for battling, but if you raise one right and keep them happy, they become almost a godsend."

"How so?"

"They evolve into a Pokémon called Gyarados, a large sea beast basically. Wild ones are known for being especially ferocious and difficult to tame. But if you raise one as a Magikarp correctly, they'll be completely loyal to you."

"That's actually pretty cool, but I don't know…"

"It's fine, kid, you look smart, so I don't blame you for being cautious. If you're not sure about my legitimacy, talk to Nurse Joy, she'll vouch."

"I'll be sure to do so, but it must be hard making money though."

"It is, I'm actually trying to sell these guys off before I retire."

"Oh?"

"Eh, I'm getting on in my years and I can't do this forever with how the world keeps changing. That and my dumbass son just about ruined me…" the man explained before grumbling softly under his breath.

"What happened?" she asked, feeling sorry for him.

"You don't need to hear some old man's tale."

"It's okay, I have time. It'll be awhile before my Pikachu is returned," Alex reassured as she felt her Butterfree land on her shoulder.

"Alright, I'll try to keep it short though," he laughed, already liking the kid. "You see, this was supposed to be a father and son business. My kid was really into helping me sell Pokémon to various trainers and show just how amazing Pokémon like Magikarp can be. But instead of using honesty, he's been swindling folk with sweet words and lies, charging them far more than I would allow. He's been mostly targeting kids like you or younger ones who don't know better."

"That's awful."

"You're telling me, and being he's _my_ brat, I got most of the blame and nearly lost everything. Thankfully no one's gotten hurt if their Magikarp evolved too soon, but still…"

"It must've been rough regardless."

"Yeah, and the idiot took off with all the profit so I couldn't do any refunds and lost a majority of the Pokémon. So what you see here is all that's left and I'll be damned if I don't try to get them a home."

"If you can't sell them, you could try having them sent to an aquarium. They're really cute, I'm sure kids would love playing with them. Maybe the gym in Cerulean City would like them or know a place that would?"

"Not a bad idea. I plan on going back to Cerulean City so I can get to Vermillion, so if I got some left, I might ask Roku and his gal if they're interested."

"Umm…just curious, how much _do_ you sell them for?"

"Depends which one you want. If you want the older ones, they'll be about 300 Poké; the younger ones are about 500. I always try to keep the prices fair if I can."

"I see…"

Glancing at the fish Pokémon swimming about, she spotted one that seemed to be alone and depressed, making her frown a little.

"What's wrong with that one?" she asked, pointing to the Pokémon.

"Her? She's a timider compared to the rest. I'd say she'd be perfect for a trainer who's willing to take their time than rush things."

"If it's okay, could I have her?" Alex asked, already pulling her wallet out.

"You sure?" he asked.

"I'm sure, how much is she?"

"She's one of the younger ones, so she'll be 500 Poké," he answered as he fished for the pokéball. Alex saw that they had stickers to help identify them.

"Is there anything I should know to make sure I keep her well cared for?"

"Sure," he smiled as he pulled out several pamphlets and a few canisters of food he uses for the Pokémon.

After explaining a few more things about the species, he gave her the pokéball as she handed him the money.

"Take good care of her, and if you see that good for nothing brat of mine, don't hesitate to send him flying if he tries swindling you."

"Or keep him still long enough to call the cops."

"That works too."

Hearing her name called, Alex bid the salesmen farewell, heading over to the desk to retrieve her Pokémon.

~Do you think that Magikarp will be happy with us?~ Hana asked worriedly.

"I really hope so," Alex said as she held up the ball that contained her new Pokémon. "She looks like a really nice Pokémon and I'm sure if we help her feel welcomed, she'll learn to trust us."

The two went outside, the trainer wanted to introduce everyone to their newest addition, knowing they'll have to do some training to help her catch up.

~I hope so too,~ Hana giggled. ~That guy seems really nice.~

"Yeah, he really did, I hope he'll be able to find a home for the rest of those Magikarp."

~Same here.~

Locating a nearby stream, Alex decided it was a good spot to call everyone else out, seeing them all look confused about what they were doing.

"Everyone, I wanted to introduce you to our newest teammate," Alex smiled as she tossed the ball, the water type materializing in the water. "Everyone, say hello to Nala."

Splashing in the water, the fish looked about, letting out a startled cry by all the new faces, wondering if she'll be eaten.

~A fish?~ Ansen grumbled, not looking impressed.

~I like her,~ Hana stated as she flew down to the nervous Pokémon. ~I'm Hana, it's great to meet you!~

~H-hi… None of you are going to eat me, are you?~ the Magikarp asked nervously, looking mostly at the bird.

~Of course not!~ Sienna gasped, looking to her trainer worriedly before turning to the frightened Pokémon. ~What makes you think that?~

~The other Magikarp in the tank told me that weaklings like me are _always_ eaten first…~

"Well, they're wrong," Alex said, kneeling down. "We're a team, we don't eat our teammates."

~You don't… You can understand me?~ the Pokémon gasped.

"Yeah, it's a long story," Alex laughed nervously. She turned her attention to her newest addition. "Nala, I'd really like it if we can be friends. I'll take good care of you and we'll work together so you can get really strong. You can prove those other Magikarp are wrong if we ever bump into them again."

~R-really? Thank you, I'll do my best!~ she beamed, splashing playfully now that she's more relaxed.

~You realize getting her to evolve into a Gyarados won't be easy,~ Ansen said gruffly.

"I know, I figured we could use this time to help her train before we go to Mt. Moon," Alex nodded as she stood up. "Because Nala can't stay out of the water for a long time, we'll try to find some Pokémon near here who could battle with us. I'll read more on the pamphlets to see what she can learn until she's ready to evolve."

~That sounds like a good idea,~ Ken grinned as he hopped onto his trainer's shoulder.

~So long as we're polite, we should be good,~ Sienna grinned, ignoring the huff from Ansen, knowing she was taking a jab at him.

"Good, then let's start training," Alex laughed as she clapped her hands together.

With that, they began to search the surrounding trees and bushes, searching for possible Pokémon to help with Nala's training.

Ansen stayed in the tree a little longer before taking flight after them.

~Hope you know what you're doing, Alex,~ he sighed mostly to himself.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 6 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp**

* * *

 **Thought it would be an interesting spin regarding the Magikarp Salesman in the anime.**

 **He looks like he would have been too young to sell Magikarp or other Pokémon. Especially in places like the Pokémon Center.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	12. Chapter 12

~That was a nice nap!~ Nala yawned as she and the others began to wake up, a more docile Jigglypuff sitting nearby.

~Glad you enjoyed yourselves,~ the Pokémon smiled brightly.

"It was really nice of you," Alex spoke as she stretched herself. "Hey, would you like to join our team?"

~I'd love to, but I'm not much of a battler,~ the balloon Pokémon admitted nervously.

"It's okay, you don't have to fight. You really like helping people and Pokémon calm down with your song. You can stay home to help my mom out or even the professor. I'm sure they'd love someone like you helping them."

~Are you sure?~

"Yeah, just because you join doesn't mean you _have_ to fight."

~I'd be honored then.~

"Welcome to the team, Max," the girl smiled as she tossed a pokéball, catching him, watching as it disappeared into data particles.

~What happened to his pokéball?~ Ken asked, not expecting that to happen.

"There's a device that's inside pokéballs that allow extras be sent to a computer system. Before I left, my mom let me set it up so they can be sent home onto hers"

~But why though?~ Hana asked as she flitted down to sit.

"It's a law that was made to ensure trainers battle fairly with each other. The only trainers allowed to have more than six are often due to a profession like police and doctors. The extra Pokémon would be sent home or a ranch, however, it's set up."

~What happens with the extras though? Are they stuck in the pokéballs?~

"I doubt it, my mom will likely let him wander the house and yard like most of her other Pokémon. I probably should call her later to let her know about him."

~What if something happens and you needed him? How would you get to your house to get him?~

"I can call my mom to send him to me, I don't have to go all the way back home to get Max or anyone else we get," Alex giggled. "And if by chance they're on the PC, I can check my account to know whether I can withdraw them out or not."

~But if you can only have six though…~

"One of you would have to be swapped, but I wouldn't pick someone without talking with you guys first."

~He said he wasn't really a battler though. How would you make it work with him?~ Ansen asked, a little annoyed that they caught essentially a pacifist.

"If he's really adamant about not battling, I won't force him. There are plenty of jobs out there that could work for him he'd be happy with. But if he's willing to try, we'll help train him up," Alex explained.

~He's lucky to have you, as a trainer. All of us are,~ Nala beamed.

"Thank you."

~Alex, could I talk to you?~ Ansen requested, flying over away from the others.

"Okay? We'll be back," she said, following him.

~I thought we had an agreement about what to catch?~

"I haven't forgotten. Max came up to us asking if we wanted to listen to one of his songs and we agreed. I asked since he approached us so nicely."

~Fine, just make sure you don't forget,~ he said, flying off to train.

"First a stubborn Pidgey, now a demanding Pidgeotto," Alex laughed quietly to herself as she returned to the others. "Okay, when we're ready, we'll keep training."

~Okay!~ they cheered excitedly.

Once everyone was ready, they resumed training, Nala watching how everyone fought, amazed how fast and strong they were.

The routine they made went on for several days, going into a week before the fish started to get the idea, mimicking or trying to mimic some moves on her own.

Believing she may have gotten it down, she took notice of a Spearow landing nearby, an idea crossing her mind as she swam over to it.

~Excuse me?~

~Yeah?~

~Could we battle? I'd like to try and fight, is that okay?~

~You're not going to have your trainer catch me, are you?~ the bird asked, taking notice of the girl.

~Oh no, we already got a friend. Were you interested?~

~Naw, I like living in the wild.~

~That's okay,~ Nala giggled, ~so is it okay if we battle?~

~Sure, why not,~ the bird shrugged.

~Thank you very much, let me get my trainer really quick… Alex!~ the fish called, grabbing her trainer's attention as did others. ~I asked this nice Spearow if we could battle and he said yes.~

"That's really nice of you," the trainer smiled before turning her attention to her Pokémon. "So you think you have an idea how to battle?"

~I think so.~

"Alright then."

With that, they started the fight, Alex guiding her Pokémon, watching as the two sparred, noticing how Nala managed to mimic Tackle the others are able to do.

"You're doing great!"

After a bit more of fighting, they finished, the bird forfeiting, saying it was fun before flying off, the others saying their farewell.

~I'm getting stronger!~ Nala squealed happily, leaping out of the water in joy.

~You really are, you should be proud of yourself,~ Ken laughed.

~Least we know you're not a mistake,~ Ansen clucked softly, the others shooting him a look. ~What? At least the kid's pulling her weight.~

~Of course she isn't a mistake, what would've been is Alex _not_ buying her," Sienna scolded with a huff, crossing her arms.

As the two began to argue, Alex attempting to break it up, Nala noticed a Pidgey, her eagerness to prove herself, she swam after it when it was close enough.

"Nala?"

~I wanna battle that Pidgey, is that okay?~

"Sure, just be careful okay? Not all Pokémon are friendly like that Spearow."

~I'll be careful.~

~Tch… This is where I find it troublesome for bred like Nala, they rather treat battles like a game than taking it more seriously.~

~Oh and what does that make me?~

~ _You_ actually know the risks.~

~I didn't know how dangerous things could be until Lance nearly died. No one's perfect, and it's okay to have fun battling,~ Sienna snapped, getting fed up.

~You almost sound jealous, Ansen,~ Hana lightly teased, seeing the feathers bristle.

~Why would I be jealous?~ he huffed angrily.

He was about to say something before a shrill scream rang through the air followed by an electrical discharge.

"Nala!" Alex shouted.

They ran to where they heard the scream, finding Nala had gone further downstream. Ken was also missing…

Seeing smoke, they followed it, everyone hoping nothing serious had happened.

Arriving at the scene, they stared in horror at what appeared to be the remains of a Pidgey, yet it was almost unrecognizable. The feathers were singed and burning, the visible flesh charred, the entire body itself completely still.

Managing to find the electric mouse huddled almost in a ball; they spotted Nala crying behind a rock as Alex hopped in to comfort her.

~Wh…what happened?~ the fire type asked as she placed a wary claw on the rodent.

~He…he wouldn't stop attacking Nala, even when she asked him. I told him to stop, but he turned his attention to me. He was nice when she asked for a battle, but changed so quickly…~ Ken cried, tears falling as he shook, glancing at the body. ~I think I'm going to be sick…~

~It's okay, just take deep breaths,~ Sienna comforted, gently petting the fur. ~You didn't do anything wrong. You were protecting Nala.~

~But I killed that Pidgey…~

~I know, I know… I've had to kill some Pokémon too. So have Ansen and Lance. It happens. We don't like it, but it happens.~

Sniffling, he let himself be picked up while Alex continued to calm the frightened fish down some more before asking if she wanted to be in her ball for a bit to rest.

Second, she agreed, the trainer had her back inside, clipping the ball to her belt, giving the others a concerned look.

"Let's get to the Pokémon Center to have Nala's injuries looked at. You too, Ken," she spoke gently as she climbed out of the water.

~A-Alex? Are you mad at me?~

"No, I could never be mad at you. It was out of your control. I'm just relieved to know you and Nala are safe," she comforted as she took the mouse into her arms, stroking his fur. "I should be the one to apologize. I should've kept a better eye on you two, Nala especially."

Almost expecting some comment from the Ansen, he surprisingly enough kept his beak shut, flying overhead to ensure they didn't get any surprise attacks.

The rest of the walk was silent, arriving at the Pokémon Center, the nurse taking notice right away that their cheerful mood was gone.

"What happened?"

"We…we had a bad fight against a Pidgey. It tried to kill Nala I think. But Ken…he used a Thunder Shock that was a bit too strong…"

"Oh, it's the first time he killed, isn't it?"

"Yes…"

"Poor thing, I'll take him and Nala along with anyone else for treatment."

"Thank you," she whispered. She unclipped Nala's ball, handing it to the nurse after passing Ken and his ball to her.

Finding a bench, she slumped in it, drawing her knees up as her Pokémon sat nearby, Lance hopping up next to her to try and rest his head on her lap.

The gentleman who had been staying at the Pokémon Center, the same one who had been complaining about Team Rocket noticed her depressed state.

Getting up from where he had been sitting previously, he walked over to her, "Do you mind if I take a seat, Miss?"

"It's fine," she answered, moving over a bit.

This gave her Nidorino the chance to flop his head on her lap before she could curl back up again.

Seeing she couldn't do that, she opted to scratch behind his ear, knowing how much he likes it, somehow having a calming effect not only on him but her too.

"I overheard what you and Nurse Joy said about your Pikachu. Are you worried about how his state of mind maybe?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's not the first time one of my Pokémon killed to protect me or each other, but it was a first for him. My Magikarp never saw anyone die either, she was hiding when he killed that Pidgey."

"It never is easy for a trainer or their Pokémon to take another's life. Doesn't matter if it's wild or trained if they deserved to die or not. Simply thinking about it is hard enough."

"Did you have a Pokémon who had to kill?"

"Many years ago. Ironically a Pikachu as well. She was extremely loyal, having raised her since she was young. I remember the first time she inadvertently killed a Pokémon, how scared she looked. I held her as tight as I could, telling her it was alright despite how I hard I was crying," the man explained with a sad smile. "Somehow we worked through it and became even closer than ever, knowing we had each other."

"What happened to her?"

"It had been a foolish stunt I had done as a lad. I thought we could handle fighting a Gyarados being that they're part water and part flying. But it proved to be far stronger than I anticipated. I didn't have any other Pokémon that could fight it except Pikachu. She stood her ground, refusing to let me get hurt. She gave her life to save mine just as I was beginning to believe we'd both die."

"I…I'm really sorry about your Pikachu, but at least she's in a better place. She'll be watching over you at least."

"I like to believe that as well."

"Thank you for talking to me, it means a lot," Alex thanked as she got up when hearing her name called, her Pokémon hopping down. "I'm Alex by the way."

Holding her hand out to the man, he accepted it, the two shaking with smiles, the younger trainer looking much better.

"It was a pleasure talking with you, Miss Alex," he smiled, "my name is Nathan. Also, while I can tell you're traveling if you ever need someone to talk to and you happen to be in the area, just come visit. I'm here quite often as you may have noticed."

"I have, and thank you, I'll keep it in mind," she answered as she left to fetch her Pokémon from the nurse.

Taking them back, she decided to retire early to her room. When she walked in, she was happy to see a water-filled tank was set up as she requested.

Calling everyone out so they could relax, putting Nala in the tank, the trainer flopped on the bed, gazing at the ceiling.

Feeling a familiar weight crawl on her stomach, she put a gentle hand on soft fur, feeling the body trembling lightly.

"Hey Ken, how you doing?" she asked softly, slowly sitting up to get a better look at him.

~I'm doing a little better,~ he answered softly as he turned to Sienna. ~I thought about what you said and you're right. I didn't like it, but there wasn't really a choice, was there? It was either the Pidgey or Nala, and Nala's my friend, so of course, I'd choose her.~

~I always hope we don't have to kill someone, but if I have to I will if it means protecting my friends,~ Lance added.

"Same, there have been times I've even thrown myself in danger," Alex said, seeing some of her Pokémon stare at her in surprise.

~ _You_ put yourself in danger? Why?~

"I don't know really, but I did. I was willing to let myself get hurt to keep Sienna safe, Lance even. And I would do the same for everyone else."

~She's also crazy enough to try tackling a Pokémon,~ Ansen chimed in.

"That was just with you and you were attacking me anyway!" the trainer pouted.

The other Pokémon started laughing hearing this, Sienna confirming it much to her trainer's embarrassment.

~Alex?~ the Pikachu started, drawing her attention.

"Yeah, Ken?" she asked, picking up so they could look at each other.

~I know I freaked out earlier, but I do want to continue traveling with everyone. I still want to continue battling all sorts of Pokémon if I can. That is if that's okay…~

"Of course it's okay. I know it was really terrifying, but so long as we're together, we can help each other not just with battles, but any problems we have," Alex reassured, hugging her Pokémon, feeling his small paws hug her back.

~I promise I'll be more careful from now on,~ Nala added timidly. ~I just got so excited that I could actually fight.~

"And I'll do a better job keeping an eye on all of you," the trainer smiled.

Alex suddenly lets out a startled yelp when her other Pokémon save for Nala and Ansen all tackled her in bed. They nuzzled and licked her, causing her to break out laughing, Ken managing to avoid getting crushed as he let loose gentle jolts to show his joy.

Feeling more confident, feeling her team was more confident, she decided that would head out tomorrow and try to get through Mt. Moon as much as possible.

They may end up camping a night or two in there, but they would at least be a step closer to Cerulean City, a step closer to their next badge.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 7 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp**

* * *

 **Home:**

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

* * *

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	13. Chapter 13

"You're doing great, Nala! Keep those Tackles up!" Alex cried in excitement.

She felt herself getting pumped as she watched the fish flop into tackling a bug catcher's Metapod, defeating it after several hits, then taking out his second Caterpie.

"That was fantastic, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thank you, Alex!"

Heading back to the entrance, having seen how tired her Pokémon was, she took her to the Pokémon Center to rest up.

With how populated it is with Zubat and Geodude, they knew they would have a harder time getting through. Plus there were trainers exploring the cavern like the bug catcher or a girl who owned a Clefairy are. Therefore, so long as they were roughly near the entrance, they would return to the Pokémon Center to heal everyone up properly, Nala most of all.

Afterward, they would go back into the mountain to try and get further in.

As they did so, they found some dropped items, one of which caused the girl to cringe in distaste at their find.

~What is it, Alex?~ Sienna questioned when seeing her hold what looked like a piece of candy. ~A child must have dropped it…~

"I wish. It's called a rare candy. If one of you were to eat it, it would give you a huge boost in power. But it has some pretty bad side effects…"

~What _kind?_ ~ Ansen asked with a scowl.

"If you take too many, it would cause the Pokémon to gradually grow weaker, particularly their immune system if they evolved prematurely."

~Why would someone make something like that then?~ Hana gasped.

"I don't really know, but I don't like them. Not only does it feel like you're taking shortcuts, but these things can cause a lot of damage if misused."

~How do you know so much about them though?~ the butterfly asked.

"From Professor Oak when Azure and I asked about them. We had overheard trainers talking about rare candies."

~So what are you going to do with it?~

"Well, as much as I'm tempted to stomp it into dust, I'll sell it at the Poké Mart."

~But you said…~ Lance started.

"I know, but despite its side effects, it also has medicinal purposes, so it's not completely bad. It's just overusing them where the trainer and Pokémon become addicted in a sense."

~I trust your judgment, Alex,~ Nala chirped from Sienna's arms. The fire type and many of the others agreeing with her.

"I'm glad to hear that. If I _were_ to get anything, it would be things prescribed by the doctors like vitamins or medicine if you were sick."

~So long as they don't have side effects like those candies, I don't care,~ Ansen grumbled softly.

"Right," the trainer smiled. She quickly got things packed before they wandered around the caves some more, finding more abandoned items along the way.

When coming across a ladder, Alex had to put everyone in their pokéballs so they wouldn't risk trying to climb or fly down the hole.

"Hey, you!" the voice of a man barked harshly, making the girl jump. "The hell are you doing here kid?"

"I'm just trying to pass through…" Alex answered, feeling herself starting to shake. "I'll…I'll just go now."

"Not so fast, little girls like you should be taught not wander around alone," the man spoke, pulling a whip out and a pokéball. "Why don't you drop the bag and pokéballs and come here like a good girl and no one gets hurt…much."

"No way!" Alex snapped, pulling out a pokéball, forgetting it was Nala's as she tossed it, revealing her flopping about. "Oh no!"

"Not a very smart kid, are you?"

"N-Nala can beat you still!"

"You just gave my Pokémon sushi is all," the man laughed.

Alex suddenly noticed the uniform, feeling the color drain from her face when seeing the sort of person she's dealing with.

"He's part of Team Rocket," she gasped, unsure if they would be able to win. "Be careful out there, Nala. Be ready to switch out if it starts getting bad!"

~Got it!~ she chirped, though the man laughed.

"How can that useless thing help you, let alone understand you? You must be pretty stupid," the Rocket snickered as he called out a Sandshrew. "Fillet it!"

"Shrew!" the Pokémon attacked.

However, just as it dove for her, Nala jumped in the air, surprising the Pokémon enough to make it lose its balance.

Seeing it was distracted, the fish lunged herself at the shrew, tackling it hard several times before it collapsed, unable to continue out.

"You were saying?" Alex growled, unable to hide a smirk.

"You got lucky!" he snapped as he threw out another pokéball.

Alex took the time to recall Nala and threw Ken's ball, calling him out just as a Rattata appeared.

"Thunder Shock!"

"Pika!"

The Rocket was left stunned not only by the odd colored rodent but how quickly his own rat went down. Desperately, he tried ordering his Zubat to attack, only for it to fall quickly with a strong electric attack.

Fumbling over what to do, the rest of Alex's Pokémon came out, surrounding him when sensing the threat.

"Look, kid, I wasn't going to do anything to you, I swear! I was just joking!" he stuttered as he saw how angry they looked, especially the second staged ones.

"I don't think they enjoyed your joke," Alex said harshly.

Snarling, the man turned to run, the other Pokémon taking chase, careful to avoid lethal force, but were certain to leave him bruised and scratched up nicely.

"My associates won't stand for this when they hear about you!" he hollered as he managed to get away, holding a bleeding arm.

"There are more Rockets here?" Alex gasped when hearing that.

Looking at the ground nervously, the bravery she felt moments ago fading instantly, her gaze falling to the ground.

~We should get out of here,~ Sienna suggested, the others agreeing as the trainer recalled everyone except for the fire type. She wanted to stay out to ensure they aren't attacked while climbing up.

Once they got out of the mountain and into the Pokémon Center, Alex had her Pokémon treated while heading to the nearest phone.

She immediately called the police, informing them of what happened and that there may be more inside the mountain.

When they showed up, questioning her more about what happened; they told her they would look through, but in the course, close off sections of the mountain. It would be done so they can prevent trainers from getting mistaken or Rockets trying to sneak away.

What felt like an eternity, they left her be, congratulating her for calling them as soon as possible, the officer told her to be careful in the future.

Once alone and her Pokémon back in her possession, they sat in her room, watching out the window as night fell, Zubat running rampant outside.

~Alex?~ Hana started, flying over, landing on the bed next to her.

"What is it?"

~What's Team Rocket? I remember that man, Nathan, he was reading something about them, right?~

"Yeah, that's right. They're bad people, really bad," Alex answered. "Some are worse than the one we encountered."

~How bad are they?~

"They're known for stealing. It can be artifacts from museums, rare Pokémon from trainers or a nature reserve. But they'll also steal strong Pokémon or what they think is strong."

~That's awful.~

"It is awful, that's why I called the police to report it. If there are more wandering through Mt. Moon or patrolling outside of it, people and Pokémon are in danger."

~But that so-called Rocket wasn't that strong,~ Ansen commented.

"We got lucky; he was probably more a scout or someone replaceable. If he was a higher rank, he would probably be a lot stronger. We're just lucky he didn't seem to have any weapons like a gun after beating him in battle."

~Gun?~ Sienna repeated with a quizzical, but nervous stare.

"It's something people can use to hurt others instead of using Pokémon. They're sometimes small and easy to fit on a belt or pocket and fires small projectiles called bullets. Those are what can cause the most damage."

~It certainly sounds bad,~ Ken said nervously.

"If misused, they are. But if you see an officer with one, it's not that bad as they're trained to only use it on bad people and Pokémon if there's no alternative."

~Speaking of hurting Pokémon, would Team Rocket hurt their own?~ Hana asked worriedly.

~If what Alex said about them is true, they probably wouldn't hesitate to kill their own,~ Ansen growled.

~They're not bad, they're evil,~ Lance growled as well, gritting his teeth.

"Exactly, while there are other poachers just as bad, Team Rocket is one of the worst and they appear almost anywhere."

~Can they be stopped?~ Ken asked worriedly.

"I don't know. I've heard the news of some sometimes getting arrested, but shortly after they either manage to escape or they're bailed out, allowing them to leave."

~Sounds as if there's someone working from the inside,~ Ansen spoke solemnly.

"I wouldn't be surprised, Team Rocket is really expansive. So having some working in disguise as police, maybe even doctors wouldn't be that shocking."

~So if we encounter more, we'll simply fight them off,~ the bird stated, seeing the others stare in shock.

"Are you _nuts?_ We got lucky defeating that _one_ Rocket. What if we faced one who's stronger than him? Or worse, stronger than the gym leaders we face?"

~Then we'll just continue getting stronger. You have an advantage compared to most trainers, gym leaders included.~

"I do?"

~Yes, you can _understand_ us, Team Rocket can't. They use Pokémon for selfish gain. You can use your gift to help those Pokémon to rebel if they were held against their will. _You_ can hear what they say and know _what_ to say. It would be a lot more useful than our attacks alone.~

"You really think so?"

~I'm positive. And even if you can't reason with them, because we understand one another, we can trade strategies even during the fight.~

"You're right, thank you, Ansen," Alex smiled, seeing the Pokémon give a huff, turning his head away.

~I'm impressed, Ansen. You're nobler than I gave you credit for,~ Sienna joked, seeing the bird fluff his feathers, flying up to the upper bunk.

~I think he's embarrassed,~ Lance teased, the others laughing.

~Fuck off, all of you!~

"Come on, let's get some rest," Alex giggled. "We can't do anything right now with all those Zubat flying outside. Dealing with them in there is one thing, but out here is completely different."

The others gave a nod, finding various spots around the room to curl up and sleep, some either on the floor or in the bed with Alex.

The rest of the night went without issue, everyone eventually waking up well rested as sunlight poured through.

As they got up and went to have breakfast, Alex decided to look through her things to see where they were for supplies.

They were okay with potions it looked, but they would need more food and water as well as a few other things to make the trek through Mt. Moon manageable.

She told them what she had planned, the others agreeing they should stock up before taking another hit at the mountain.

Roughly an hour later, they were back at Mt. Moon, Alex looking to her team.

"You guys ready?" she asked.

~Let's get going,~ Ansen said, flying on ahead.

~So long as we avoid the closed off portions, we _should_ make a straight shot to the other side,~ Sienna said, recalling the map their trainer showed.

The others nodded as they traversed through, fending off any wild Zubat that came at them as well as the occasional Geodude and Paras.

"Hey, let's battle!" a female trainer called, waving at Alex.

"Oh, sure," she nodded, taking out Nala's ball. She read the Pokédex and with the pace, they're going and her stats from the Pokémon Center, she's close to evolving.

Throwing the ball, the fish flopped around, ready to dodge or attack, the other trainer staring blankly.

"A Magikarp? Are you serious?" the trainer laughed as she tossed her ball, revealing an Oddish. "Use Absorb!"

"Nala!" Alex cried out as the attack hit her friend, draining some of her energy.

~That felt weird…~ the fish whimpered.

"Nala, come back Si…" the trainer started as she recalled the fish. As she was about to call for her starter, a tanned blur shot past her. "Ansen?"

With a strong flap of his wings, the grass type was sent flying back away from where Nala was.

~To easy,~ Ansen chuckled as he was hit with an Absorb, the attack having little effect at all. He flapped his wings once more, sending the grass type into the air, crashing hard on the ground, knocked out cold.

"That's a scary bird," the female trainer said as she called out her next Pokémon, revealing to be a Bellsprout. "Power up with Growth!"

Ansen let out a laugh that sounded like a war cry to the trainer as he made quick work of fly trap Pokémon, its vines having little effect on him.

"Great job, Ansen!" Alex cheered, the bird shrugging it off with a smug look.

"What kind of girl uses an ugly fish and scary bird? Girls should have something cute, like Jigglypuff or Pikachu," the trainer whined as she stormed off.

~Brat, just like those Pokémon she spoils,~ Ansen grumbled as he preened himself a bit.

"Some are just like that," Alex sighed as she called out Nala. "You okay?"

~I'll be fine, that just surprised me was all,~ the fish responded with a nervous laugh.

"I didn't expect to see someone with a grass Pokémon, I'm just glad they weren't very strong," the trainer said. As she talked, she pulled out a potion to take care of some minor injuries on Nala. "That should feel better soon."

~I'm feeling better already. Actually, I feel a little tingly,~ Nala exclaimed just as her body suddenly lit up in a brilliant light.

Alex jumped back, realizing what was happening, "Oh my… Nala, you're evolving!"

Just as those words left her mouth, her glowing Pokémon's body quickly grew larger and larger, becoming more serpentine. When the light finally dissipated, instead of a little orange fish flopping on the ground now laid a large draconic sea serpent.

"You look amazing!" Alex laughed as she jumped for joy.

~I…I do?~ Nala questioned as she looked herself over in confusion. ~It feels so strange. Everything is so small now…~

"I'm sure you'll get used to it," the girl reassured as she called everyone else out.

~Nala?~ Hana gasped.

~Whoa, that's what a Gyarados looks like? That's so cool!~ Lance awed as did Sienna as they all examined their friend.

~So you like this new me?~ Nala asked worriedly.

~Yeah, you look great!~

~I bet you'll be super strong now like this!~

"Oh, speaking of strength…" Alex fished through her bag, pulling an unfamiliar floppy disk. "I wanted to give this to you sooner, but it wouldn't sync with you while you were still a Magikarp."

~What is it?~ the timid Pokémon asked.

"It's a TM we found earlier in here while you were in your pokéball," the trainer answered. "I read the label and it's supposed to contain Water Gun. The only ones who can learn it are you and Lance."

~Oh!~ the Gyarados stared in surprise as she leaned down to see the disk. She turned to the poison type with some concern.

~I already declined. Figured you'd make the most out of it,~ Lance explained with a cheeky grin.

"So what do you say, want to know your first water type attack?" Alex asked.

~Oh, I would love too!~ the dragon laughed happily.

Alex smiled as she recalled her into her ball, inserting the ball and floppy into the device.

After a few minutes, it made a ding to signal that the process was done.

Calling her back out, Nala blinked a bit before testing her new attack on a Geodude that was nearby.

~It's so strong! Thank you, Alex, thank you so much! I'll be sure to treasure this attack for all it's worth,~ Nala beamed as she gently nuzzled her trainer.

"I'm glad you like it, I also have another TM that the gym leader gave me after I beat him," Alex laughed, seeing her curious gaze. "I told you about it, I figured if you feel comfortable, you could learn it now or later if you feel you could handle it."

~Maybe after I've gotten used to my new body?~ the Pokémon suggested.

"No rush, I wanted to at least offer," Alex grinned as she hugged the water type.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 7 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

* * *

 **Home:**

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

* * *

 **I wanted to give my own explanation regarding Rare Candies. I'm not entirely opposed to trainers using them on their Pokémon, but I personally don't use them anymore on any of mine.**

 **My reason is that years ago, I would use as many as I could on my Pokémon to speed evolve or simply have level 100 Pokémon. I would get them however possible, even using a Gameshark. That led to some of the Pokémon's stats being much lower than if they leveled up naturally when compared, so I stopped using them. Instead, I would sell them, even during normal playthroughs.**

 **This is my own personal preference, so those who do use them, don't be offended. Everyone has their own style raising their Pokémon, whether it's during nuzlockes, casual, or competitive plays.**

 **Also, I would like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with some edits on this chapter.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	14. Chapter 14

They continued their travels to get through Mt. Moon and reach Cerulean City.

However, due to Nala's new size, Alex had to keep her in her pokéball, only taking her out for certain battles.

She felt it would be safer for the water Pokémon than making her slide across potentially sharp rocks or knock into something she shouldn't when reaching narrower places.

Now that Nala finally evolved, Alex decided to focus on the rest of her team so they didn't fall behind too much. She mostly wanted to work on Ken, knowing he may become a big part facing the Cerulean Gym.

Anytime Alex did use Nala in battle though, it was brief to chase away ornery Geodude.

The Gyarados though proved that while a sweetheart, she can be ferocious when needed. She demonstrated that ferocity towards a Team Rocket member when they bumped into him.

Ken and Hana made quick work of his Zubat and Ekans, but when he tried to intimidate the girl, Nala came out snarling, coiling herself around her trainer protectively.

"H-hey now, no need to get hostile," the Rocket stuttered as he backed away. "How about this, if I give you these, you'll leave me be?" He tossed Alex an ether and TM, Hana catching them with her psychic power. "I'm just here to find some fossils that's all, I won't cause any problems, I swear."

Taking an opportunity to flee, the Rocket did so with a yelp when Ken sent a warning shock at him when feeling he was to close while running by.

"Guess now we know why they're here," Alex sighed sadly.

She waited briefly to ensure he was gone before reaching the main floor again. She had Ken perched on her shoulder with Hana flying next to her on the opposite side.

~Alex, what are fossils?~ Ken asked curiously.

He watched as Nala beat up a hiker that challenged his trainer to a battle, having the serpent sent out instead of one of the others.

"They're the remains of living things that died a long ago. They can be people, plants, animals, or Pokémon," Alex answered after they won and traveled further.

~Why would they want remains?~ Hana asked, sounding disturbed by the notion.

"With Team Rocket, it would be to make a profit off them. While fossils are essentially dead things, they hold a lot of value."

~How?~ the electric type asked.

"They can teach us a lot about the past. Scientists collect them to study to know what our ancestors were like culturally and biologically."

~They can learn that?~

"Yeah, depending on what the fossil is, it can tell a lot. If they have the full skeleton of a Pokémon, they can learn not only what it might have looked like alive, but whether it was carnivorous or not. Pewter City actually has a museum showcasing some fossils they found here and a few other spots in Kanto."

~Wow…~ Ken awed, completely engrossed in what his trainer explained.

"I actually remember hearing on the news that some scientists might have developed a way to restore certain fossils back," Alex added.

~So they can bring back dead people and Pokémon?~

"Just Pokémon as far as I know."

~Wonder why?~ Hana mused.

"Maybe if we bump into a scientist that studies this sort of thing, we could ask?"

~Hey, if by some chance we find a fossil, could we bring it back? I think it would be really cool to see someone from a past life!~ Ken exclaimed.

"It would be cool, but you would need to be trained to find fossils. If you don't know where to look while in places like here, it could prove really dangerous. Even if we did, I'm sure it'll be really expensive to restore a fossil."

~Awww…~

"Doesn't mean we can't try if we get one," Alex reassured, scratching her Pikachu's ear.

~That would be great!~

As they climbed down a ladder to another level before finding another to climb back up, hoping the exit won't be too far. While supplies are going well, all could agree they were getting rather sick of traveling through this cave.

"Hold it, brat, this area's off limits!" a Rocket shouted as he called out his Raticate.

"Nala, take care of it!" Alex ordered as she threw the ball.

The serpentine beast came out, ensuring her trainer was protected behind her massive body before attacking the tanned rodent.

The Raticate attempted to bite her, however, her scales proved tougher, causing little harm to her hide as she shook it off. She returned the gesture with a bite of her own, managing not to bite down too hard, enough to knock it unconscious.

The Rocket panicked as he recalled his Pokémon, fleeing from the trainer and her Pokémon as the others came out growling.

~I thought the police were closing parts off?~ Ansen growled as he flew close to the others.

"They are, or should…" Alex answered, sounding unsure.

~You said these Team Rocket guys might be in the police… Maybe one of the officers is leading the good ones away from his friends?~ Lance suggested.

"I don't know, that could be true, but this is also a major route for trainers. If they were going to do that, they would have set up a sign or told me that they were."

~Whatever is going on, hopefully, we'll be out soon. If need be, you could contact the Cerulean City police to ask about what's going on,~ Sienna suggested.

"That sounds like a good plan," Alex smiled, though it quickly faded when a shrill cry was heard. "What was that?"

~Sounded like someone's in trouble,~ Hana whimpered, landing on the girl's head, body quivering.

~It sounds like it came from over there,~ Lance said, his ears honing in. ~Sounds like they're not alone…~

Before anyone could react, Ken suddenly leaped off Alex's shoulder and went running down to the source of the cry.

"Ken!" the girl cried as did others.

They went after him, chasing the golden colored mouse as he turned the corner, finding another member of Team Rocket trying to restrain a Clefairy.

"Pika!"

Ken lunged at the man, letting loose a light bolt of electricity to make him drop the frightened Pokémon. He jumped down to act as a shield, seeing the man pull out his whip.

"I don't know what you're trying to pull you rat, but you're going to pay," he threatened, aiming to strike them.

"Ken!" Alex shouted.

"So this thing's yours?" the Rocket smirked. "Call it off, I found that Clefairy first."

"In your dreams!"

The others stood back as Ken quickly dispatched the Rattata and Zubat that were sent out, throwing one good jolt of electricity at the Rocket when he tried using his whip.

Seeing the other Pokémon snarling, ready to attack, the Rocket fled, running past Alex, yelping when Ansen made a dive for his head to ensure he kept running.

Once certain he was gone, Alex went over to the frightened Pokémon as Ken ran to its side as well.

"Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling down while taking her bag off. "Did he hurt you at all?"

~Don't hurt me!~ the Clefairy cried out, running behind Ken.

~It's okay, Alex won't hurt you,~ the electric mouse comforted, patting her on the arm.

~Is she your trainer?~

~Yeah, she's really nice and takes great care of us. Oh, and she can understand us, so that makes her extra special.~

~She can understand us?~

"I can, so if there's any place that's hurting or if you're confused about anything, let me know so I can try to help."

~I'm okay, that man mostly surprised me when he grabbed me like that,~ the Clefairy said, feeling a little better.

"I'm glad we could get here sooner, though I think Ken's the real hero," Alex smiled, patting her Pokémon on the head.

~I don't think I could be one, I mean…~ the Pikachu sputtered, feeling his face grow hot with embarrassment.

~Well I'm really glad you saved me. I don't know how to repay you.~

"It was no trouble at all. Do you need any help getting back to your friends?"

~I'll be fine, but…~ The pink Pokémon paused, looking at Ken with a shy smile. ~If it's alright with you, could I join your team? I don't know if I'll be a very good fighter, but I want to try and help if I can.~

"I don't mind, what about you guys?"

~Sure, we have a full team now, but we can always do with more friends!~ Hana laughed.

~She's right, plus you won't be alone. Alex caught a Jigglypuff not that long ago, so he's back at her home. Plus, her mother and her Pokémon will be there to help take care of you and Max,~ Sienna explained, seeing her face light up.

~Really? So I won't be locked up?~

Alex shook her head, "My mom will let you wander around the house and explore. And I'm sure her Pokémon will help show you around as they are for Max I'm certain."

~Alright, I'll do my best should you ever need me!~ the Clefairy beamed.

"Okay then," Alex smiled as she pulled out a pokéball. "What do you think about being called Lizzy?"

~It sounds pretty,~ the Pokémon beamed.

"Then welcome to the team, Lizzy."

With a flash of red, the pink Pokémon was quickly swallowed up by the ball, wiggling a little in the girl's hand before it stilled. Once it had, the ball was quickly transferred back to her home as Max's ball had done.

~Not _exactly_ what I was planning for our deal, but I suppose it works,~ Ansen commented as Alex checked everyone over for injuries before they continued.

~I've heard Clefairy could be surprisingly strong if raised right back where I came from,~ Sienna said with a smile. ~Even if it turns out Lizzy isn't a fighter, she could still be a great support for all of us.~

"Her and Max both," Alex grinned.

They continued making progress deeper in the cave, finding a sign that told them the exit was not too far, exciting them.

They were anticipating not having to travel in the cavern, putting the mountain behind and the troubles it held.

Nearing the exit, Alex stopped as did her Pokémon, hearing arguing in the distance.

~ _Now_ what?~ Ansen growled, hating that they couldn't catch a break.

Careful not to make too much noise, they crept closer, peeking around a corner. They saw another Rocket as well as a boy about Alex's age. They were arguing, though the younger boy was clearly at a disadvantage.

"Hand them over, kid," he asked, his free hand held out, the other holding a knife. "You've got no reason to keep them."

"I won't let you take them! I found these with help from my Pokémon!" the teen shouted, his voice trembling with fear.

"Which I took care of easily in case you've forgotten."

Alex let her eyes follow where the Rocket gestured, her blood running cold when seeing several Pokémon lying not far. None of them were moving, a metallic looking one cracked almost completely in half.

The boy was shaking, his face bruised from possible punches, but he refused to budge and relinquish whatever it was he had.

"You'll pay for what you did," he growled, fighting back tears.

"I tried to reason, but you brats are simply too stubborn," the Rocket chuckled as he went to lunge at the boy. "Get ready to join the afterlife with your pathetic Pokémon, brat!"

"We have to do something! He's going to kill him," Alex whimpered.

Blood boiling, Ansen charged with an angry screech, attacking the Rocket, knocking him away from the boy. He watched where the knife went, not wanting to hit with that.

"Dammit, where the hell did you come from?" the Rocket snarled, waving his knife around frantically.

"Ansen, be careful!" Alex shouted as she and the others ran from their hiding place.

~Hana, give me a hand. Get rid of his knife!~ the avian ordered.

The butterfly was surprised, unsure what he meant before remembering her psychic abilities. Eyes glowing, she forced the knife out of the Rocket's hand, sending it flying into a wall.

~It's gone!~ she exclaimed.

"Call your crazy bird off!" the Rocket shouted desperately. He threw his arms up in an attempt to protect his face from the sharp talons.

Alex was frozen, having never seen her Pokémon so angry, but knew she couldn't let him continue.

"Ansen, that's enough, don't kill him. Just make him leave!"

With a huff, the bird backed off from scratching the man, instead chose to flap his wings hard, to send sand and debris. Sienna joined his side, flecks of ember escaping her muzzle, lips pulled back to show all of her fangs.

~You heard her, leave!~ the fire type snarled.

She knew the man wouldn't understand her, but her roaring would scare him enough. What helped was Lance and Ken growling by her side, Nala even coming out with a fierce roar, adding to the intimidation.

With a terrified scream, the Rocket managed to turn tail and run, knowing he was more than outmatched.

"Is he gone?" Alex asked nervously as things began to quiet down.

~I don't smell him anymore,~ Sienna growled softly. ~We should be okay for now.~

Relieved to hear that, Alex turned to the boy, seeing he had gone over to his deceased Pokémon. Any tears he was hiding before were now falling freely.

She walked over, unsure what to say to make it better.

"Thank you…" he said quietly. "If you hadn't come around, I would be dead."

"I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner. If we had, maybe we could have saved them."

"It happened so fast, that guy had really strong Pokémon. I should have just given him the fossils, but we worked so hard to find one, let alone two."

He let out a choked sob, bringing his hand to cover his mouth as he tried to get some semblance of control.

"Team Rocket is really bad and unpredictable," Alex said, placing her hand on the boy's back, rubbing it gently.

"I guess that's true, but it seems so unfair they had to die so horribly. Grimer… Koffing… Voltorb… I've had them all since I was really young…"

"We should get out of here so we can get the police," she said softly, knowing the idea of leaving might not be that pleasing to him.

"But what about them?" he asked, knowing it was regarding the bodies.

~We could ask some Pokémon around here to keep them safe until authorities arrive,~ Sienna offered, walking over to place a comforting paw on her trainer.

Nodding, Alex turned to the boy, "Maybe we could ask some of the Pokémon that live here? They could keep their bodies safe until the police show up."

"I guess…"

Turning to her starter, she gave her a nod to go find someone to help, the fire type getting a couple others to come help. The only ones to stay and guard the kids were Ansen and Nala.

After a few minutes, they returned with a small cluster of Geodude following, the fire type informing they would be happy to help.

~Told us what had happened. Those blasted humans in black really have no heart,~ one of the Geodude grumbled as he gave the bodies a pitiful look.

"Looks like these Geodude want to help," Alex said, the boy having to agree.

"It feels wrong leaving them though," the boy sniffed as they started to pack their things, his mostly.

He picked up a couple of strange looking rocks, placing them in his bag as he followed her and her Pokémon towards the exit.

"If we want to make Team Rocket pay, we need to tell the police. They'll not only help catch them, but they'll be able to get your Pokémon so they can be given a proper burial."

"You're right," the boy nodded as they found the ladder leading them to the exit. "I don't know how I can ever thank you for helping me."

"You don't have to, I would hope someone would do the same if something like that ever happened," she said, feeling her stomach knot at the thought.

Seeing a wild Pokémon getting killed didn't have the same effect as it did seeing someone else's Pokémon die. It made her feel sick; knowing the boy following her must be feeling much worse. They were not only his Pokémon but with how much he's grieving, likely his best friends, family even.

She wasn't sure how she'll react should she ever lose a Pokémon. She's had close calls but never lost her team.

When they reached the exit and were outside, Alex's mind was briefly distracted by the warm sun, her Pokémon looking so much better. Ansen and Hana flew higher, Ken unable to resist rolling in the grass. Sienna and Lance were looking far more relaxed as they walked together. Even calling Nala out so she could stretch herself, the draconic serpent seemed happier to be back outside where there was far more space.

"You've raised really good Pokémon," the boy commented, a small smile forming. His eyes were red from crying, but between being outside and seeing the Pokémon more relaxed seemed to help.

"Thanks, I try really hard to take care of them so they can be happy," Alex answered with a small smile. "After what happened in there, it's nice to be outside."

"Yeah…"

Both were silent the rest of the way as they followed a path leading to Cerulean City, Alex returning most of her Pokémon as they neared. She mostly wanted to put Nala in her ball, knowing a Gyarados randomly entering a city might cause problems.

They immediately made their way to the Pokémon Center, knowing any injuries they and the Pokémon got needed treating.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the nurse asked happily, though quickly faded seeing their deshelled appearances. "Is everything alright?"

"We need to speak with an officer," Alex said as she handed her Pokémon over. "We were attacked by Team Rocket."

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 8 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

* * *

 **Home:**

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

* * *

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	15. Chapter 15

Alex and the boy sat in a room in the back part of the Pokémon Center. They were briefly separated so the doctors could exam them for injuries, the boy getting bandaged up. Afterward, the police talked with them about Team Rocket and what had happened.

The officers who had been questioning them thanked them for the information. The one who had been with the boy reassured him they would retrieve his Pokémon. He also asked for his pokéballs to confirm they found the right ones. The boy reluctantly agreed, relinquishing them, tears trailing down his face as he did so. The officer thanked him again, patting him on the shoulder, giving him a sad smile.

Now sitting in the lobby, Alex glanced at one of the booths, unsure whether to call home or not, but decided it couldn't hurt. She watched as the boy seemed to share the same thoughts.

Dialing home, she waited a bit before the screen flicked on, her mother wearing a bright smile, watching it fall quickly.

 **"Alex? Honey, what's the matter? Did something happen?"** her mother asked.

"I…I'm fine, but…" she started. She paused when hearing the boy talking to his parents, his sobs starting again. "I ran into some Rockets while I was in Mt. Moon."

 **"What? Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"**

"I'm fine, Mom. I mean…"

Alex took a breath before releasing it, her mother anxiously waiting. Managing to sort her thoughts enough, she told her what happened, reassuring her again that everyone's safe. She told her that she and the boy she rescued have spoken with the police. She added that her Pokémon haven't been returned yet. Her mother suggested that they could be trying to get evidence from them, like blood or hair stuck to their bodies.

 **"I'm just relieved that you're safe, all of you,"** her mother sighed, a concerned smile forming. **"If we had known Team Rocket could be this dangerous, we would have waited or asked an experienced trainer to go with you and Azure."** The woman almost jumped, looking to Alex worriedly. **"Have you seen Azure by any chance?"**

"I haven't yet. I can try asking Nurse Joy if he's come by or ask the gym leader if he's seen him."

 **"I'll ask Sam if he's heard from him as well."** Her mother paused, worrying her lip briefly. **"Alex, honey, if you feel it starts getting to be too much for you, we won't be disappointed if you ask to come home. We'll understand."**

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind, but I'll want to talk it over with my Pokémon. I don't want to make decisions without including them."

 **"I understand. Just _try_ and be safe, okay?"**

"I'll try."

Both feeling a little better, they talked a bit more to lighten the mood. Her mother told her about some dishes Mrs. Oak had helped make when swinging by, the state of her leg, and how helpful her Pokémon have been. Alex shared about the more positive aspects of her journey, such as Nala's evolution, Max's friendliness, and the Pokémon she's seen.

"By the way, how are Max and Lizzy doing?"

 **"They seem to have acclimated quite well here. Lizzy was a little nervous, but she's warming up. You're lucky to have found such sweet Pokémon."**

"They seemed really nice when I talked with them. Also, if you're going to talk to Professor Oak, tell him that it's okay if he wants to borrow Max at any point. He told me that he wasn't much of a fighter. I figured he could help him with some tasks around the lab and he liked the idea."

 **"Alright, I will… To be honest, I still find it hard to believe that you can understand Pokémon. I might not have believed it if Sam hadn't told me."**

"It's still strange, but I'm really enjoying being able to talk to my Pokémon. And thanks to Azure, I have a pretty good idea how to tell people and Pokémon apart when they're talking."

 **"That's a relief."**

Talking a bit more, they eventually said their goodbyes before hanging up, leaving Alex to her thoughts.

Having started feeling better, the mood quickly left when seeing how upset the boy still looked. She saw that he must have long since finished his conversation as he currently sat at one of the cushioned sofas. Worried about him, she walked over, sitting next to him. He looked up when noticing the sofa dipping slightly with the added weight.

"Is…" Alex paused for a moment. "Did everything go okay with your parents?"

He drew his knees up, resting his chin on top. "My parents are upset as I am that my Pokémon are gone. They told me they'll pay for the funeral costs though."

"That's really kind of them."

"Thank you. At least it'll give me time to figure out how to get to Lavender Town to pay my respects."

"Aren't they coming to get you?"

"They want to, but they don't have a way to get to me. Besides owning no flying or psychic Pokémon, they don't have cars."

"Couldn't they send someone then?"

"Most of their friends are their coworkers who are simply too busy. Anyone else is out of the region or in Koga's case, a gym leader."

"That doesn't seem fair though."

"I guess, but it can't be helped sometimes," the boy sighed, turning to her. "I really appreciate what you've done for me. Not just chasing that Rocket off, but getting me here."

"I hardly did anything though. It was Ansen who mostly took control, at least dealing with that man."

"Maybe…" He paused. "I never gave you my name. I'm Chase." He unfolded himself, his feet back on the floor as he held a hand out to her.

"I'm Alex," she smiled softly, taking his hand. "By the way, if you don't mind me asking, what was it that Rocket was after?"

Chase was hesitant for a moment before picking his bag up, opening it to reveal its contents. "While I'm not a master at it, I took some courses on how to excavate fossils."

"Those are fossils?"

"Yes. I had gotten permission to excavate for them. I planned to get a particular one, but I ended up finding it and this one." He pulled them fully out, showing her the differences between them.

"What kind are they?"

"This one is called a dome fossil. It's recognizable by the mostly smooth shell. Sometimes there's a claw or two poking out. The other fossil is called a helix due to the design of the shell."

"Oh wow, and you were able to find them? That's really cool."

"Thank you, but I couldn't have found them alone. I had help from…" Chase paused when he thought of his Pokémon.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring them up," Alex apologized.

"It's not your fault. It…it's just going to take a while to adjust not having them around."

"I would think so…"

She was taken off guard when Chase held out the helix fossil. "I'd like you to have this. It's the least I can do."

"I couldn't though," she gasped. "You and your Pokémon worked so hard to get them; I couldn't take one of them."

"It's alright. I was mostly looking for a dome fossil. I didn't really make plans for a second one, let alone of a different species."

"But…"

"You put yourself in danger to save me. Maybe if my Pokémon and I hadn't been so stubborn with that Rocket… Or I recalled them sooner… Maybe they would still be with me?"

"Chase…" Alex could see tears falling from his dark eyes, causing tears to fall from hers.

They fell silent, Alex slowly rotating the fossil now in her hands. She couldn't tell if the shell pattern was whole or a piece of it because of the stone around it.

"I'll be sure to take care of it," she said, breaking the silence. She saw him smiling. The sight made her smile back. She was glad to have accepted the gift if it made him feel better.

"How are your Pokémon doing?" Chase asked.

"They're still being looked at. My mom guessed that the police are examining them for anything they could use to track Team Rocket. Ansen and Sienna along with some of the others attacked them as much as their Pokémon."

"Them? You're saying that guy wasn't the first Rocket you fought?"

"There were others that we ran into. One even harassed a Clefairy shortly before coming across you and that guy."

"I didn't think there were so many in there. If I had known…"

"No one did apparently. I had told the Pewter City Police, but I guess something went wrong. The Cerulean City Police are looking into it."

"Let's hope so," Chase sighed. Toying with a strap from the bag, he spoke again. "Your Pokémon are really strong. How did you find them?"

"Oh, well, it's kind of a long story."

"I've got time…"

"Okay then," Alex smiled. She could see that he wanted a distraction, something she and her mom needed after talking about Team Rocket.

Therefore, she shared with him about her Pokémon, starting with Sienna before ending with Nala. However, she watched how she talked about her interactions with them. She didn't want to let it slip about her ability. It was amazing enough that Azure and Professor Oak accepted it as well as her mother. But Chase was someone new, she doesn't know who him or how he'd react.

"Wow, they sound like really amazing Pokémon," Chase complimented. "And to think that there's an actual term for Pokémon of different colors."

"I know, it was really cool to learn about that."

"Bet he's pretty spoiled then, huh?"

"They all are in their own way," Alex giggled. "But they're still really good Pokémon and a lot of what they do is far more than I could ever ask of them."

"It shows how much they care about you, a lot like mine had…" he said with a sad smile.

"I'm sure they're happy you're okay."

"I really hope so."

Silence hung again, Chase's comment about getting to Lavender Town repeating in her head. If he doesn't have Pokémon, how will he get there? He doesn't look ready to catch more and he made no indication that he owned more.

"Chase, do you have any idea how you'll get to Lavender Town?" she asked worriedly.

"I'll probably have cut through Saffron City, but it might still be blocked off."

"Blocked off?"

"Yeah, at least it was the first time I tried going through when I was coming here. I had to go through Lavender Town and get through Rock Tunnel."

"Did you ask why?"

"The officer stationed told me that they were doing some major construction. Apparently, some trainers were battling and it grew out of control where a lot of roads are either destroyed or became heavily unstable. I wouldn't even be surprised if any gas or water lines broke as well."

"But aren't those kinds of battles illegal _because_ of the destruction?" the girl asked, the other nodding.

Thinking about this newfound knowledge, Alex had an idea form, but she needed to confirm some things.

"How about we travel together?"

"Come again?"

"You need to get to Lavender Town, right?"

"Well, yes…"

"Then we could go together. I'm challenging the gyms, so there's a chance I might have to pass through Lavender Town if Saffron City is still closed off. And you said that this Koga person is a gym leader, so I'm probably going to at some point challenge him in Fuchsia City. That's where you live, right?"

"Yes, but you don't have to do all that. I wouldn't want to slow you down."

"I don't mind. I can even put my challenge on hold if you wanted to get home as fast as you can after reaching Lavender Town."

"I…I don't know what to say. Thank you so much, Alex!" Chase smiled, eyes tearing up once more. Alex couldn't form words, only smile back, her cheeks flushing with how happy and relieved he looked.

Soon enough, Nurse Joy called Alex over, informing her that her Pokémon were ready. Going to her, she thanked her as she took the balls back, quickly returning to Chase. She fished through the pile, grabbing a few and releasing the Pokémon inside. Ken was instantly on her shoulder, happy to be reunited with how much he was nuzzling her face, practically vibrating with joy.

~I'm so happy to be back. Those police guys were so invasive when using those weird sticks and tiny metal pincers,~ Ken complained.

Alex couldn't help but snicker at this, paling slightly when noting Chase staring at her.

"Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered with a nervous laugh. "I just noticed how pouty Ken looks. I'm guessing that he didn't have fun getting poked and prodded by the police."

"Chuu…" the Pikachu whined softly.

Switching the topic, Alex looked at everyone. "Now that I got my Pokémon back, why don't we get something to eat? It's been a really stressful day."

"That's not a bad idea. I haven't realized how hungry I am until you suggested it," Chase answered.

~We do need to keep our strength up,~ Sienna nodded.

"Alright then. I'm just going to ask Nurse Joy where I can go to find something for Nala."

"Good idea, the last thing the city needs is a hungry Gyarados," Chase half-joked.

Alex couldn't help but laugh, knowing Nala wouldn't hurt anyone.

Heading back, Ken still on her shoulder, she asked the nurse about any stores that sell food for larger Pokémon like Gyarados. The woman kindly wrote down some directions to a store she knew.

Thanking her again, she returned to the others. "I shouldn't be gone for too long." Turning towards Lance and Sienna, she gave them a smile. "Think you two could stay with Chase until I'm back?" Both Pokémon nodded, responding happily to her.

"Are you sure about leaving them with me?" Chase asked.

"I don't mind. Hana and Ken should be more than enough. Plus, I still have Ansen and Nala in their pokéballs."

~We'll make sure he's safe,~ Sienna reassured, placing her paw on the boy's arm, mindful of her sharp claws.

"I'll be back soon," Alex said as she left the Pokémon Center. Once outside, she followed the directions that the nurse gave her.

~That boy seems really nice,~ Hana beamed.

"He is," Alex hummed.

~What's going to happen to him though?~ Ken inquired.

"Chase's parents are going to take care of the funeral costs for his Pokémon. That way, when he's ready, he can head to Lavender Town to pay his respects."

~Lavender Town?~ the mouse repeated.

"I only heard about it, but it's a small town known for ghost type Pokémon. There are a couple of known towers there, one of them being a cemetery."

~What's a cemetery?~ the butterfly asked.

"They're places that deceased Pokémon and people are buried. The tower that acts as a cemetery is used solely for Pokémon. They would be buried or cremated depending on the family's preference. Then a stone would be picked with names and dates of the deceased chiseled on them. It makes it easier for loved ones to find them."

~Why would they do that?~

"I guess you could say it's a comfort thing."

~So he'll be going to that place to give respect to his Pokémon then? He must have loved them a lot,~ Hana mused sadly.

~Is Lavender Town far?~ Ken asked.

"Afraid so."

~Then how will he get there without Pokémon to protect him?~

"I suggested that we could travel together."

~But what about the gyms?~ Hana asked.

"It shouldn't delay us. Plus, we might have to go through Lavender Town anyway, so it would still work out for all of us."

~You're really kind and smart, Alex,~ the butterfly beamed. She flew lower so she could nuzzle into her trainer. ~I bet we'll have a lot of fun so Chase won't be so sad or feel lonely. I bet he thinks you talking to us is really cool.~

Alex suddenly stopped, having completely forgotten about her ability.

~Alex?~ Ken squeaked out, pawing at her face. ~Are you okay?~

"Y-yeah," she answered. "The thing is, I haven't told Chase about my ability."

~How come?~

"Right now… Right now it doesn't feel appropriate to tell him. His Pokémon _just_ died, I don't want to make him think that I'm teasing him or something."

~But you would never do something like that. Not if it would upset someone!~ Hana cried out.

"I know, but right now, Chase and I hardly know each other."

~Then what are you going to do? Are you still going to travel with him?~ Ken asked.

"I've already promised we would. It wouldn't be right to take that back. At least not without a really good reason."

~So what will you do?~

"I don't know, but I'm sure I'll think of something. Or maybe we can think of something when we get the chance to talk alone." Alex released a small sigh. "I know I can't keep this a secret for long. It would be impossible to do that if we're going to be traveling together."

"Well, he does seem really nice. I'm sure he'll understand why you didn't tell him sooner and he'll believe you too. And if for some reason he doesn't, we'll figure something out so he does,~ Hana reassured.

"Thank you, Hana."

Reaching the store, Alex searched through, finding what she needed among other stuff when the clerk asked her what other Pokémon she was raising. Bags in possession, they quickly returned to the Pokémon Center. As they entered, the found Chase, Sienna, and Lance waiting for them.

"Welcome back," Chase greeted. "Did you find what you needed?"

Alex nodded, gesturing to the bags. "Do you mind if we eat outside? I'd like Nala to be out of her ball."

"That's okay. It'll be nice to get some fresh air."

Collecting what they wanted, they headed to the back portion of the Pokémon Center.

~Is everything okay now?~ Nala asked when she was released. She spotted her meal, though she was more concerned about her friends than filling her stomach.

~It seems so. The police should have what they need from us to hopefully track those Rockets down,~ Sienna reassured, patting her gently.

"Your Pokémon get along really well," Chase commented.

"We try to work together and be friends," Alex grinned.

~Except for Mr. Grumpy sometimes,~ Hana teased.

~Watch it,~ Ansen grumbled, glaring at her.

"Well, _most_ of us try to get along," the girl laughed nervously.

"I'm curious, how many badges have you gotten so far? With a team like this, you must have gotten a few by now."

"Actually, we only have one. The Cerulean Gym will be our second after some training and maybe catching a grass type."

"I'm sure you'll do really well, I've heard that it's a water gym."

"Same."

They continued to talk, trading stories of what they saw, Chase having quite a bit to share from his travels.

"So you've been a trainer since you were ten?"

"Yeah, when I was old enough, I did some traveling. My Pokémon and I wanted to see some places we couldn't before. Whenever I wasn't traveling, I sometimes helped my parents out at their jobs. Usually, I would help my dad since I thought it was more fun."

"That's really neat. I thought challenging the gyms would be something fun to do for myself and my Pokémon."

"That's what I've heard from other trainers," Chase laughed before a thought came to mind. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you wait until you were thirteen to start?"

"Oh, well this might sound a little silly, but I wanted to wait for a friend."

"So she's younger than you?"

"He," Alex corrected. "But yeah, he's younger than me. There weren't a lot of kids that were our age, his mostly, that would be starting out. Any that were, lived in other towns."

"That was really nice of you. He's lucky to have a friend like you."

"Thank you," she blushed. "We've been friends for a long time. He and I always played together when we were in school, even after I graduated."

"Is he taking the Pokémon League Challenge as well?"

"Yeah. What about you? Were you ever interested in challenging the gyms?"

"Not really. I was planning on someday working with my dad in the Safari Zone."

"That's really cool! You said that you had more fun there, right?"

"That's right. Sure, it still has its fair share of dangers, but it's still a lot of fun. Most of the Pokémon are really friendly, though some can be shy."

"How does it work though? I heard you couldn't battle the Pokémon in there."

"That was done so trainers could try and form a bond with the Pokémon. Entrants would go in with two bags. One holds about thirty pokéballs made for the Safari Zone. The other carries bags of treats you can feed the Pokémon you encounter."

"That sounds so cool, but what if you encounter a dangerous Pokémon?"

"That's where people like my dad and sometimes Koga will do a sweep through to check for signs of aggressive Pokémon. If they find one, they'll try to either catch it or tag it at least. If they find a lot, they'll close that zone down if not the entire park until it's been dealt with."

"What do they do when they catch them?"

"They'll have them examined for health issues. If it turns out they're healthy, just ornery, they'll be relocated to a sanctuary."

"That's good to hear. I also heard there was a zoo in Fuchsia City."

"Yeah, my mom also works there. That's also the reason why I was in Mt. Moon looking for fossils. The main attraction, a Kabutops, recently passed. I thought I could try and find another dome fossil and find a lab that restores them, then the zoo could have another Kabuto."

"What happened to the last one?"

"I don't really know. Mom and Dad never told me other than that she was really sick. They and the warden didn't know until she suddenly passed."

"I'm sorry that happened," Alex apologized, placing a hand on his.

They continued to talk until it began getting late. They agreed that it would be wise to turn in for the night, Alex recalling her Pokémon as they packed up.

When they went in, the nurse informed them that they would be sharing a room, neither bothered with how tired they were. They quickly cleaned up and got changed before going to their room, collapsing on the cots.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 8 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

* * *

 **Home:**

 **Max - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

* * *

 **Alex has now acquired her own traveling companion who can help her as much as she'll help him.**

 **Also, I would like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with some edits on this chapter.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	16. Chapter 16

Morning arriving, the kids were up and dressed, going outside to eat breakfast.

"You have a really nice Gyarados," a man's voice beamed.

The kids looked up to see a young man with deep blue hair and handsome tan. His blue-green eyes practically sparkling in delight at the sight of Nala. He wore a pair of gym sweats and a t-shirt, both being different shades of blue.

"Th-thank you…" Alex stuttered out, not expecting someone to compliment Nala. Most people were either evading her or giving concerned looks seeing her out of her ball.

"You can call me Roku," he greeted, holding his hand out to the pair. "Are the others yours as well?"

"Yes, they are, and my name's Alex," she answered. "By any chance, are you the Cerulean Gym Leader?"

"That's right. I train water Pokémon, so it's always nice to see other trainers with water Pokémon of their own. But I don't often see such a healthy Gyarados, especially in the hands of a kid. You've got talent," he grinned as he walked over to Nala. "Do you mind?"

~I don't mind,~ Nala grinned brightly. ~He looks really nice.~

"It's okay. Nala's actually really gentle," Alex smiled, seeing the gym leader's eyes widen up at this.

"That's rare to hear. Most Gyarados are often ornery beasts. The few that _are_ mellow are ones that have grown up with their trainers for years." As he talked, he was gently examining Nala, amazed how well behaved she is as she leaned down to his level so he could look at her teeth and gums without issue. "You've got her on a good diet I can see."

"Yes, I asked Nurse Joy about any stores that sell food for carnivorous Pokémon like Gyarados and picked some up."

"That's good to hear," the man hummed. "Since you've asked if I was a gym leader, I can only assume you're going to challenge my gym."

"Yes, it'll be my second one."

"Second? Okay, that's good to know. I'll make sure to put together a good team to give yours a good challenge," Roku promised as he stepped away from Nala. "Just know that even with an electric type, you aren't guaranteed to win. I'd suggest trying to get some grass types or work on what you have that have greater resistance to water."

"I will, thank you," Alex smiled.

"No problem, it's a gym leader's duty to help aspiring trainers grow," Roku smiled before turning to Chase. "What about you? Are you planning on challenging the gym too? I remember seeing you darting between Cerulean and Mt. Moon a few times."

"No, I'm not…" Chase answered softly. "I don't have any Pokémon…"

Immediately, the smile left his face upon hearing this, recognizing that tone. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"It's okay," he reassured, wiping at his eyes when a few tears escaped. "Like you said, you didn't know."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to them?" Roku's bubbly feature immediately changed to something more somber as he sat with them.

"It was Team Rocket," Alex answered, seeing his eyes flash briefly with anger.

"Team Rocket, huh? Should have figured," the gym leader grumbled. "You two should be careful while you're here. We've been having some problems with Rockets the last few days. Mostly robberies, but better to be safe than sorry if one tried to ambush you kids."

"I never thought it was that bad," Alex commented.

"Where did you live before you started traveling?"

"Pallet Town."

"A small town, not really surprising. Team Rocket mostly targets towns and cities that seem important or have some value from museums to wealthy homes."

"Really?"

Roku nodded before continuing, "How much do you know about Team Rocket?"

"Just what I've heard on the news and the radio," Alex answered as Chase nodded.

"Then you understand how dangerous they can be."

"Yeah, we were lucky to chase them away when threatening us, me mostly."

"You were attacked by Rockets?"

"Mostly ran into them when I was traveling through Mt. Moon to get here."

"Did you inform the police?"

"I did…"

As Alex spoke with the gym leader, Chase adding his comments from his encounter, the Pokémon talked amongst themselves.

~That Roku guy looks really concerned for them,~ Lance said, looking to his friends.

~If Cerulean City is having a problem with Team Rocket, then he has reason to be concerned. It can't be good not only for the city but the gym having people like Team Rocket harassing people,~ Sienna said, giving her trainer a concerned look. ~I hope we don't encounter anymore. What happened in Mt. Moon was just awful…~

~Tell me about it, between what almost happened with Lizzy and the trauma Chase went through, I never want to see another Rocket again,~ Ken added sadly.

~We can hope, but it'll be better for all of us if we simply train harder to protect both of them,~ Ansen stated. ~ I doubt it'll be the last we see of them judging the way people talk about them. Better we're prepared to face them than be taken by surprise.~

~I hate to say it, but you're right,~ the fire type sighed. ~I just don't want Alex or any of us to get hurt.~

~None of us do, so like Ansen said, we'll trainer harder,~ Lance reassured.

"I better get back at the gym," Roku said suddenly as he stood up. "Alex, whenever you're ready, just swing by. I'll be ready."

"Okay, thank you again for the advice," the girl smiled as she and Chase waved him off. She turned towards her Pokémon, "When you guys are ready, how about we start training and look for some grass types?"

~Sure thing!~ Nala and Hana giggled.

~Sounds good, but have you thought about who you're storing?~ Sienna asked with mild concern.

As if on cue, Chase spoke, "Have you thought about who you'll switch out?"

"Oh… Right, well I'm not sure. I mean, don't think it would be for a very long time, at least until Roku's beaten."

~Why not decide that until after you've caught some? We don't even know if we'll find a good grass type to join,~ Ansen suggested.

"I guess I'll know if I find a grass type that wants to join me," Alex laughed nervously as she collected her trash.

Sienna was already helping her, impressing Chase with how bonded Alex is with her Pokémon. Even the way they seem to communicate is astounding, rarely seeing that level of closeness even with experienced trainers.

When they started to head out, Chase told her he was going to be heading to the police station. The officers still had some questions to ask him when he was in better shape to talk as well as find out if they had found his Pokémon. Alex offered to go with him, but he assured her that he would fine. Bidding her farewell, he told her that they could meet up later at the Pokémon Center, the girl reluctantly agreeing.

After a few hours had passed, Chase returned, finding Alex was having lunch outside with some of her Pokémon, Nala specifically. Seeing others were missing, he suspected they were either getting treated or might have been sent home or wherever to make room.

"So, how'd it go?" he asked. He had quickly grabbed something to eat inside before joining her.

"Training went pretty good. But it looks like my team's pretty strong for the route between Mt. Moon and here. Most of the Pokémon weren't interested sparring with them."

"Did you catch anything new?"

"No, I couldn't find any grass types or any Pokémon that looked like it wanted to go with me," Alex answered. Earlier, they had scoured the area but were told by some of the local wild Pokémon that grass Pokémon didn't live there. they would have to cross the bridge in the northern part of Cerulean City to find any. So they aborted that mission and tried finding someone at least, but no one was.

Alex had made a note on a scrap of paper, later purchasing a journal to mark down all the areas she fails to catch something. She figured it would be easier than trying to remember them all or having her Pokémon remember.

"That sucks, so you're going to look elsewhere?"

"I'm going to try a little later north, past the bridge. There might be some there."

"I wouldn't be surprised with the small rivers and ponds around. Hey, I know this might be a crazy idea, but you should think about getting a psychic Pokémon."

"A psychic Pokémon? I can find one around here?"

"I heard there are Abra that live not far from here, it couldn't hurt."

"But why?"

"Psychic Pokémon are not only pretty strong, but fast. Plus, Koga specializes using poison type Pokémon, so if you train one now, you would be set for his gym."

"How do you know that?"

"Koga and my dad have been friends since they were kids."

"That's so cool. And you said he helps at the Safari Zone, right?"

"Yeah, he comes from a ninja clan, so he has all sorts of skills and such to make tracking and safely trapping Pokémon if a pokéball won't work or can't be used."

"Do you think he'll use his ninja skills at the gym?"

"Maybe, but he'd still make it fair I'm sure. He's not the cheating type. I'd be happy to show you the way when reaching there."

"That'd be great, thank you, Chase."

"It's no problem," he grinned, unable to hide the faint blush that formed.

"So if I decided to try and get an Abra or any psychic type, who should I send home so I can train them?"

"I can't say right now since Fuchsia City is still pretty far. But, if they hadn't been swapped out already, I suggest switching Ken or Nala before facing Koga. No offense to Nala, but Gyarados can sometimes be pretty slow reacting to speedy attacks. Unless she's really sturdy to take several hard hits, she would get knocked out in an instant. It would be the same for Ken if you were to evolve him with a thunder stone, giving him more bulk."

"I guess that makes sense. I'll have to think about it and explain it to them should that time come."

"That doesn't mean you can't use them still. So long as you have a good team, you can switch them around as needed."

"That's true," Alex nodded, looking at her Pokémon as most made similar comments to show they understood. "Okay, once I get the others back, I'll head out to find myself an Abra!"

"If you'd like, I could go with you," Chase offered.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want to sit around doing nothing. I've told the police everything I knew. Unless they find the Rocket who killed my Pokémon, I really have nothing to do."

Once the rest of her team returned, Alex recalled most of them save for Hana and Ken, the latter riding on her shoulder. With a bridge, she wasn't sure how much space it gave or how much weight it can hold, so having Nala out was risky. Then again, there was water, so she could have her swim alongside.

As they got closer, a young boy came running towards them, a huge grin on his face. "Alex!" he shouted as he stopped in front of them. "Oh wow, I can't believe you got here. I already got my badge. Roku was really awesome to battle, you should have seen it!" He was talking so quickly and excitedly, Alex couldn't hold back the smile. She was happy to see him not only safe but in a far better mood than back at the Viridian Forest.

"That's awesome. I'm training to battle Roku as well.'

"So you beat Flint?"

"Yup," she grinned, pulling out her badge case, showing the grey pin.

"That's great; I was worried since you didn't have any type advantages. Guess I was wrong, huh?"

"It wasn't easy, Flint was tough and I'm sure Roku will be just as tough if not tougher to beat."

"I can assure you, he's tough. His Horsea and Cloyster were really strong. I don't know if you'll fight them or not, but if you do, watch out if they go underwater."

"I'll keep it in mind. Hopefully, I'll find a grass type so Ken doesn't have to do all the fighting."

"That's a good idea," Azure nodded before taking notice of Chase. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is Chase, we met back at Mt. Moon," Alex introduced. "We're going to be traveling together so we can get to Lavender Town."

"Lavender Town? How come?"

"My…my Pokémon recently died. Alex was nice enough to act as an escort since she's likely going to pass through," Chase explained.

"Oh… I'm sorry for your loss…" Azure said quietly, his happy demeanor disappearing.

"Thanks," he said with a sad smile.

"Are you going to try and catch a Pokémon with Alex's help?"

"I don't know, I don't think I'm ready to take in a new Pokémon right now…"

"I guess that makes sense, sorry for asking."

"It's fine, if I find a Pokémon that interests me, I might try to get it. Until then, I'll just help Alex with any advice that might help."

"Were you a trainer for a while? Did you challenge gyms?"

"Yes and no. I wasn't interested in gym battles, but I've been a trainer for about four years, so I've done some traveling. I'm thinking about doing volunteer work if not applying for a job at the Safari Zone with my dad if not the zoo with my mom."

"They work there?"

"Yeah."

"That's really cool; it must be a lot of fun."

"So long as the Pokémon are kept civil," Chase chuckled, glad they got out of that depressing talk.

"Hey Alex, I know this might be stupid to ask, but think we could have a battle? I trained a whole lot so we'd be more on your level. Is that okay?"

"Sure thing, let's just move out of the way in case there's traffic."

"Right."

"I'll act as referee."

Both nodded as they found a free spot to hold their battle, Chase standing on the sidelines to do his part.

"Pidgeotto, go!"

"Let's go, Ken!"

"Quick Attack!"

"Thunder Shock!"

The avian dove at the mouse with insane speed, the shiny having no time to dodge, forced to take the hit. However, being hit made the electric shock hurt more than making it stretch.

With Pidgeotto slightly dazed, it left him open when he made another dive for Ken, getting shocked just as he crashed into him.

"Ken! Pidgeotto!" both cried out as they ran to their Pokémon.

~I'm okay,~ Ken reassured as he got up. ~Little winded, but still good to go.~

"That's a relief, what about Pidgeotto?"

Azure was looking the knocked out Pokémon, giving her a sheepish grin.

"He's good, just out cold."

Relieved, they returned to their spots, Azure recalling his Pokémon before sending his next one out, revealing to be an Abra.

"You caught an Abra?" Alex awed.

"Yeah, found her after my battle with Roku," Azure grinned. "Are you going to get one?"

"If I'm lucky," she grinned back. "Ken, are you still up for battling?"

~You bet I am!~ the Pokémon smiled as he charged himself up, sparks dancing off his form.

~So this is the human he's always talking about?~ the psychic mused. ~Pass, I have no attacks to use anyway.~

Ken blinked as she pretended to fall over and proceeded to sleep. He turned to her, Alex unable to help snicker, especially with Azure's surprised expression.

"Not again… Come on, you can't get stronger if you sleep!" the boy whined as he recalled the psychic type.

"Probably doesn't help that she doesn't know any attacks," Alex giggled.

"Oh… Forgot about that, guess she said something about it?"

"Yeah," she grinned, unaware that Chase overheard, seeing his confused expression. "Oh, right…"

"Is something wrong?" Azure asked, looking between the two. "Didn't you tell him that you can understand Pokémon?"

"Alex, what's he talking about?"

Alex gave a nervous smiled as she looked away, "I wasn't sure how you'd react, especially after what happened with your Pokémon. But yes, I can understand what Pokémon say. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true."

"I…" Chase started before Azure interrupted.

"It _is_ true! She isn't one to lie about something like that," he pouted.

"It's really hard to believe though. There's never been anything about someone capable of understanding Pokémon," Chase said, uncertain if he could believe them.

"We're telling you the truth," Azure stated. "Alex proved it to me and my dad believes her."

"Okay, let's say I do believe you. How did it happen? How long have you been able to understand Pokémon?"

"We aren't really sure," Alex started, her foot digging a small hole in the dirt. "It hasn't been for very long. It started back in Viridian Forest before I fought Flint. We were being harassed by a trainer and Ken panicked and accidentally shocked all of us. When I woke up, I found I could understand him, Sienna, every Pokémon, trained and wild."

"That's pretty hard to believe…"

"I told you, Alex doesn't make stuff like that up to trick people," Azure repeated. "I trust her and she's even proven it. I even helped her find out ways to tell people and Pokémon apart when talking. Plus, my dad believes her."

"But how does an electric shock rewire a brain though?"

"We don't know if Ken was the sole cause if at all. Professor Oak told us there were some old tales about Viridian Forest, so something there could have caused it. We honestly don't know."

"But why you and not both of you?"

"Again, we don't know. If Ken was the cause, then that could've been because I was holding him, so got most of the shock," Alex answered. "If you don't believe me, or want to travel with me, I'll understand. It can't be easy to believe something like this, I'd have trouble believing it if the roles were reversed."

"Why don't we prove it?" Azure suggested. "Chase, say something to our Pokémon, or even a wild Pokémon and Alex can translate it back. That has to prove something!"

"Azure, we don't have to make it this big of a deal," Alex said.

"But…"

"You don't have to prove anything," Chase said. He still looked uncertain of their words, still taking it all in. "I'm not saying I believe you, but I'm willing to try. If you're telling the truth, I'll see it for myself."

Azure was about to say something before Alex cut him off. "I'm sorry for not saying something sooner. I didn't think it would have been appropriate to bring it up after you lost your Pokémon. whether you believe me or not, I hope you'll forgive me at least."

"I understand. I mean, it can't be easy right?"

"Yeah, I mean, I didn't really think much about it before, but that was when it was just me and my Pokémon, maybe even Azure if we wanted to travel together. But since we were going to, I got worried since I enjoy talking with my Pokémon. I know trainers talk to their Pokémon, but not the way I do where I actually understand them."

Alex could feel tears forming, Ken running over, hopping up onto her shoulders, nuzzling against her face. The electric mouse gave Chase a small glare before turning back to his trainer, pawing at her face in an attempt to wipe away the tears.

~Are you going to be okay?~ Ken asked.

"I will be," she sniffled, wiping her eyes dry. He nuzzled again, licking her cheek gently. "Thanks, Ken." Turning back to Azure, seeing his concerned face, she gave him a small smile. "Why don't we continue our battle? We can talk about this later?"

"Alex? Are you sure?" the boy asked.

She nodded, the brunet relenting as he grabbed another ball, calling out his Rattata. She called Hana out, the butterfly noting her trainer's distress, fussing over her.

"I'll be okay, we'll talk later? We've got a battle to win," Alex said.

"Ree…" Hana whined softly.

Chase watched their interactions, seeing she was right about her interaction with her Pokémon different from other trainers. She was holding an actual conversation with them, making him feel guilty. What if she really is telling the truth? Her and Azure both? Hopefully, they could try and patch things up after the battle. He wouldn't want things to become strained between them, especially if they planned to travel together still.

"Keep your distance with Confusion!"

Chase looked up, watching as the purple rat tried smacking Hana with its tail to weaken her defenses, but she dodged it. Her body glowed, specifically around the eyes, having her lift the rodent up and tossing him hard enough to wind him. The Rattata, however, proved tougher as he was back on his feet, ready for more. Without a command, the butterfly chose to dive in for a surprise Tackle, the assault taking the rat off guard long enough to be knocked out.

"Great job, Hana," Alex laughed as her Pokémon flew to her arms.

"Man, who knew Butterfree could be so tough?" Azure grinned as he pulled out his last Pokémon, Squirtle appearing.

"Come on out, Ansen!"

"He looks a lot stronger and angrier."

"He is stronger. And he always looks like that."

"Pidgeo!" the bird huffed, glaring at his trainer, saying something Chase obviously couldn't understand.

"I'll explain later, okay?" Alex reassured, the bird grumbling as he eyed the turtle.

Immediately, both trainers shouted orders to their Pokémon. Squirtle trying to lower Ansen's defenses, the bird keeping his distance with gusts of wind before a particularly strong one sent the turtle airborne. As a result, however, the turtle managed to surprise the bird when he rebounded with Tail Whip.

~So, how are things with your trainer and teammates?~ Squirtle asked as they fought.

~They're interesting, and it seems to help with Alex being able to understand us.~

~I'm really jealous. I wish Azure could understand us. Might make training a little easier, especially with Abra and slowing Rattata down.~

~How are they slowing your team down?~

~Abra just sleeps instead of trains and Rattata trains too hard to the point of exhaustion. Azure keeps having to take him to the Pokémon Center more times than he trains the rest of us.~

~Wonder why…~

~It might have to do with Team Rocket…~

Both Alex and Ansen faltered hearing this, surprised looks on their faces.

"Is something wrong?" Azure asked, concern showing.

"Azure… Did you…did you have a run-in with Team Rocket?" Alex asked worriedly.

He gave her a surprised look, realizing the Pokémon must have mentioned the villainous group during the battle. Even Chase's eyes widened hearing this, looking at the surprised looks on the Pokémon's faces.

"Y-yeah, but it wasn't too bad though. They didn't know who I was when I was forced to fight a couple, but I mostly sneaked past them."

"Did you tell the police?" Alex asked.

"Of course I did. I called Pewter City Police since Mt. Moon is in their jurisdiction."

"We need to talk to the police right now."

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 8 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

* * *

 **Home:**

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

* * *

 **I had some fun with coming up with the idea for the battle with Azure's Abra given it can't use attacks. I mean, given Alex's nature, she wouldn't battle a Pokémon that can't fight if she can help it.**

 **As for Azure, he's still a kid and a newbie/rookie, he's not going to remember _every_ detail about all the Pokémon. Mistakes happen, we've seen it a lot in the anime and I'm sure in the manga as well. Even we as players when we got the games, especially our first games.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	17. Chapter 17

Postponing their battle, Alex and Azure recalled their Pokémon, the three running towards the police station.

On their way, Alex explained about what had happened, Chase adding that it was because of Team Rocket he lost his Pokémon. The brunet was horrified by this, running faster so they could get there.

Running inside, they caught the attention of an officer.

"Whoa, slow down, what's going on?" he asked. "This isn't a place to do races."

"We're sorry, but we need to report something," Alex panted.

"Report what?" a female officer asked.

"I…I also had a run-in with Team Rocket," Azure panted as well.

The officers' attentions were immediately grabbed, ushering the three to a room to talk. One of them left to get some water, the other grabbing a notepad and pen on their way.

"Okay, first, try to calm yourselves down," the officer instructed. "I need you to talk to me with a clear head." The three nodded, doing as they were told. "Good job. Now, you said you ran into Team Rocket, is that right?"

"Yes."

"Where did you run into them?"

"Back in Mt. Moon last week."

"Last week?"

"Yes, I called the Pewter City Police and told an officer about it!"

"Alright, alright, calm down," he said, jotting notes down. "We'll look into to confirm it."

"I'm not lying though," Azure exclaimed.

"I'm not saying you are, but we need to cover all grounds, understand?"

"Okay…" the brunet nodded, sinking in his seat.

"I'm going to need you tell me everything that happened when you were in Mt. Moon, even the smallest of details you can think of," the officer explained. "As for you two, I'm afraid you'll need to leave while I talk with your friend. We'll speak to you after, alright?"

"Wait, they can't stay?" Azure asked.

"Protocol I'm afraid," the female officer answered. She had returned with a pitcher of water and some glasses. "We just need to confirm things to make your words stick. If we don't, lawyers could have it thrown out."

"Who would defend Team Rocket?" the boy asked.

"You'd be surprised," the officer sighed. "Just give yourself a moment to collect your thoughts and start the moment you entered Mt. Moon."

The brunet nodded, Alex's hand leaving his as she and Chase left the room.

Some hours passed before they were released, the officers thanking them for coming by, encouraging them to return if they hear or see anything about Team Rocket.

As they left, going towards the Pokémon Center, Azure stared at the ground, hands shoved in his pockets, a frown on his face.

"So Team Rocket might've been hiding out with the police?" he wondered out loud. "Or do you think all of them in Pewter City might be corrupted?"

"I don't really know," Alex sighed. "It seems a bit out there, but I guess we won't really know unless it comes up in the news."

"That's true, though with how much money they seem to have, it wouldn't be too farfetched to bribe the police," Chase added.

"What about gym leaders?"

"Maybe…"

"And what kind of people would defend Team Rocket? They abuse Pokémon, even willing to kill them!" the brunet exclaimed.

"People vary," the older boy sighed. "Some people are really greedy. I've overheard my dad telling my mom about times the Safari Zone would get visitors trying to buy the Pokémon they wanted than earning their trust."

"You're kidding?" Alex gasped.

Chase shook his head before continuing. "My dad also told me about a time someone wanted to tear down the Safari Zone and turn the land into a giant mall."

"That's horrible!"

"Tell me about it. Thankfully it never went through. Nearly everyone was against it, including the mayor and the previous gym leader. But that's what led to parts of the Safari Zone getting turned into actual sanctuaries to prevent a repeat."

"That was really smart of them," Azure nodded.

"Exactly. Nature preserves can't be torn down, at least not without a good reason."

"What kind of reasons though?"

"I don't really know, but it would have to make sense to destroy the land or a part of it at least. Maybe to expand a hospital or Pokémon Center so more can be treated? Either that or maybe a large farm or two."

"I guess that would make sense," Alex commented. "But I can't help but wonder just how far Team Rocket reaches. The news talks about how bad they are, but I don't remember them or hearing anyone talking about them like this."

"Maybe to keep people from panicking?" Chase shrugged, seeing their confused stares. "Think about it, the police are having enough trouble dealing with Team Rocket and other crooks. They don't need vigilantes interfering as well."

"What's wrong with that? If someone can beat their Pokémon and keep them from escaping, how is that bad?" Azure asked.

"What if the people were undercover cops? Or weren't part of Team Rocket at all, but were mistaken for them?"

Azure's eyes widened before looking away. "Oh, yeah, guess that makes more sense. I wouldn't want someone to beat my Pokémon up if they mistook me for a Rocket…"

"No one would. It would be better to leave it to the police."

"Yeah, they'll find a way to stop them," Alex added with a reassuring smile.

Azure felt more reassured by their words, his best friend's especially, his shoulders relaxing as they arrived at the Pokémon Center. Going inside, he and Alex handed their Pokémon over for healing. Afterward, the three of them went to go find a place to sit and eat while they waited.

"By the way, Alex, what kind of Pokémon have you caught since the last time we saw each other?" the brunet asked.

"Oh, well, for starters, I bought a Magikarp," she answered much to his surprise. She quickly explained how it had transpired as well as adding that Nala is already a Gyarados.

"You already have a Gyarados? That's so cool! I'd love to try raising one, but I'm a little scared that it might try to eat me or my Pokémon."

"From what the salesman had told me, you can get one to trust you better if you not only raise them as a Magikarp but treat them really well. Even better if you get a docile or friendly one as well," Alex explained.

"Well, if I _do_ get one, I'll be sure to try to find you so you can help me or maybe have Nala talk to it so I'll be able to be its friend."

"I'll try my best."

"So what other Pokémon did you get?"

"I got a Jigglypuff and Clefairy. They're back home with my mom. Max wasn't much of a battler from what he told me, so I told my mom Professor Oak could borrow him to help around the lab. Max was fine with the idea when I suggested it."

"That's cool; I heard Jigglypuff can put people and Pokémon to sleep with their voice. That could be handy if Dad was dealing with rowdy Pokémon."

"Yup," Alex laughed. "As for Lizzy, I think she wanted to join to be with Ken. He pretty much rescued her from one of the Rockets."

"Cute," Azure snickered.

"What about you? How many Pokémon have you gotten?"

"A lot actually, but most of them I sent home. Not all of them were really strong or they had frailer bodies when I tried training them. I figured my parents could look after them and maybe find out what's wrong since the Pokémon Center's couldn't find anything."

"So what kind did you get?"

"Well, I caught a Weedle back in Viridian Forest and evolved into a Kakuna. I sent him home because he won't seem to evolve again and the doctors can't find out why. Until I figure it out or Dad does, I don't want to put him in danger. Near Mt. Moon is where I caught my Rattata. On the other side, I found a really cool Sandshrew. Inside I caught a Paras. You saw my Abra; I found her on Route 24 and caught a Caterpie in Route 25 near this cottage."

They talked some more until the nurse called for them, informing the two that their Pokémon were ready for pickup. After taking them, Azure made a brief dash for the PC, calling home and from the looks of it, withdrawing a Pokémon.

"What did you get?" Alex asked when he came back.

"My Sandshrew. I heard the gym in Vermilion City uses electric type Pokémon."

"Oh wow, really? Kind of makes me wish I could have gotten a Sandshrew."

"What's stopping you?" Chase asked.

"It might sound a little crazy, but Ansen and I made a deal. If none of us can convince a Pokémon to join us, then I can't catch anything."

"Why would you agree to that?" the older boy asked.

"Well, Ansen told me that before the capture law was in place, he would see new trainers catch a lot of Pokémon, not knowing what to do with them or train them properly."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he isn't one to lie, at least far as I've known him," Alex nodded. "So I'm willing to trust his word. Plus I'd like to think that this method is working for us."

"It is?" Azure blinked.

She nodded before continuing, "If I don't have a lot of Pokémon to raise or ones I don't need to worry about training, then I can focus on the ones that do or want training."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Chase commented as he thought it over. "By having less Pokémon to worry about, it would make it easier to focus on a specific set."

"Maybe I should try that?" Azure hummed. "It might make it easier to build a stronger team if I'm not throwing a ball at the first new thing I see."

"And you could bond with them better," Alex added. "Even if you don't understand them, that doesn't mean you can't talk to them. I asked Ken and Hana if they wanted to join before I could understand Pokémon."

"That's right," Azure grinned before a thought formed. "Hey, I have an idea." Seeing that he had their attention, his smile widened. "We should go and check out the cottage at the end of Route 25."

"How come?" Alex asked.

"Besides the people living there being nice?" he joked. "The guy who lives there, he's a geologist and told me some really cool stuff."

"What did he tell you?" Chase asked, his interest grabbed.

"Just some cool facts about different rocks, specifically evolutionary stones. I had found some that looked like stones he owned, so I asked about them. He told me that they were indeed moon stones."

"You found moon stones?" the two asked.

"Yeah, I don't have any Pokémon to evolve them with right now, but _knowing_ I have some is really cool."

"It is, I wonder if the stones I found are moon stones as well," Alex wondered.

"I'm sure he won't mind if we asked. He told me that moon stones are sometimes hard to tell apart because of how they look compared to other evolution stones."

"You know, if it turns that you do have some, you'll be able to evolve some of your Pokémon."

"That's true, though I'll have to ask them if they want to or not."

"That's a good idea."

Chase listened as the two friends talked, his mind drifting back to earlier when learning about Alex's ability.

While he was feeling a little more confident that they were telling the truth about it, part of them still felt skeptical. It can't be helped, right? Nothing like this has ever happened before, right? Yet, why would they, Alex especially lie about it?

He thought about how she explained how it happened, looking and sounding so truthful. Even the way Azure defended her made it seem all the more real. Not trusting their words right away did hurt, but he didn't want to believe in something that later turns out to be fake.

He didn't think they were pranking them; Alex didn't seem to be the type to do something like this. Azure maybe, but she would have called him out on it, he felt certain of it.

But could he really trust them? His gut was saying yes, but his mind was saying no. The way his internal war was going, he was going to end up with a headache.

Maybe his best bet would be to stand on neutral ground? He'll go along with it and wait for more evidence to show itself? If Alex happens to show further proof than back at the battle, he'll believe her. But if she doesn't, he'll keep quiet about it. He doesn't want to hurt her any worse than he might have from doubting her initially.

"Chase?" Alex called out to him, waving a hand in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking about a few things," he smiled. "Sorry for spacing out."

"Its fine, Azure suggested we should head out now while it's still early. The family should be home, this guy, Benedict, mostly works at home. Is that right?"

"Yeah, he told me that he's been doing more research on certain stones than going out to dig them up," Azure nodded. "So finding him home is pretty good."

"Plus, he'd likely have to go through town."

"True, but Cerulean City is pretty big."

"That's true," Chase nodded, a smile forming. "We should go then. I bet it'll be fun to talk with him."

"Yeah!"

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 8 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

* * *

 **Home:**

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

* * *

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	18. Chapter 18

Gathering their things up, the three of them headed outside and went straight to the bridge, Azure leading the way. As they drew near, walking along the side of the river, a couple of people ran past them, shoving them aside.

"Out of the way, brats!" one of them snapped.

Alex yelped as she tumbled backward, falling onto the grass with a grunt. Azure and Chase had the same thing happen; the three noticing their bags had spilled open.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Azure shouted, waving a fist at their retreating backs.

"They're not worth it," Chase said, stopping the younger boy. "Let's just pick our stuff up."

The brunet pouted as he did so, seeing Alex doing the same before patting the ground frantically, muttering softly to herself.

"Alex?" he asked, running over to her. Chase joined him, seeing how upset the girl looked.

"I'm missing a TM I got from Flint," Alex said, looking for it still.

"What was it?"

"Bide. I was thinking of asking Nala if she wanted to learn it."

"We'll look around for it," Chase reassured. "It couldn't have gone far."

She nodded, the three picking the rest of their stuff up before focusing on the missing disk.

Looking around for several minutes, they couldn't find it, the three suspecting it might have fallen down into the water.

"Oh no…" Alex whimpered softly.

"As long as it's in its case, it _should_ be fine," Azure said worriedly. "Maybe we could have our Pokémon look for it?" He threw his pokéball, calling Squirtle out.

The girl nodded, grabbing Nala's ball, calling her out as well.

"Whoa…" the brunet stared at the massive beast. Focusing back on the task, he turned to his Pokémon. "I need you to dive into the water and look for a TM; we think it fell in there."

"Squirtle!" the turtle nodded, diving straight in.

"Nala, help him out as well," Alex begged.

~We'll do our best,~ Nala nodded, diving in as well.

Almost fifteen minutes passed before both resurfaced, Squirtle sitting on Nala's head. He hopped off to rejoin his trainer. Both wore defeated looks.

~We couldn't find it, I'm sorry,~ the serpent-like Pokémon apologized.

"It's not your fault. I must not have tightened the straps on my bag," Alex said, petting her Pokémon. "You and Squirtle did your best."

"It wasn't your fault either, it was those guys who pushed us!" Azure exclaimed. "If I find them…"

"Azure, don't start a fight. It isn't worth it," the girl begged. "If they're trainers, we don't know how strong they could be."

The brunet glared at the ground, his Pokémon pawing at his pant leg worriedly. Taking a breath, he held it before exhaling, looking a little calmer.

"Let's just get going," he said, recalling his starter.

Alex nodded, knowing he was still upset, though so was she, but she didn't want to start trouble unnecessarily.

"Alex, hold up," Chase started, fishing through his bag. "I know this is out of the blue, but I have a couple of TMs. You can have them."

"But are you sure?"

"Yeah, they were part of some promotional event going on at a store. My Pokémon wouldn't have been able to learn this one. And I hadn't really decided whether to teach Voltorb this one or not." He grew quiet at the last part before forcing a smile on his face. "I'm sure you'll have better use for them."

Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Alex accepted them with a small smile. "Thank you, Chase. I'll be sure to put them to good use."

Putting them away, making sure her bag was well secured, she recalled Nala, the three making their way towards the bridge.

When they got to it, however, they stopped. Azure let out a groan. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

"You again?" one of the two who knocked into Alex yawned.

"You should apologize, you made my friend lose her TM!" the brunet demanded.

"Not my problem," the man shrugged, the boy growling.

"Azure, let's just get going," Alex whispered, grabbing his arm. She started to guide him to the entrance of the bridge only for the man to step in between.

"Sorry, kiddies, the bridge is closed," the guy sneered.

"That can't be true, it can't be closed," the brunet gaped. "This is a major route for people. You can't just block it!"

"Yeah, we can. We're holding a contest."

"That's no excuse. What if there was an emergency?"

The man shrugged again, "Look, if you want to cross, you have to battle your way." He emphasized his statement by tossing a ball out, releasing a Growlithe.

"You know what, fine!" Azure snapped as he called Squirtle back out.

"Azure, don't! Maybe it's legit and they have permission?" Alex tried reasoning. "We could go to the Pokémon Center and ask the nurse or find an officer to see if they know about it."

"No, Alex, I'm sick and tired of telling the adults around here and watching nothing get done," the brunet spat.

"Azure…"

"Rules are simple, beat five trainers and you win a prize at the end," the trainer said as he whistled for another to come over. "So it's the three of you?"

"I don't have any Pokémon," Chase responded nervously.

" _Seriously?_ " the trainer blinked before shaking his head. "Whatever, you, you're a trainer or are you just a whiny little bitch?"

"Don't you dare call her that!" the younger boy snarled, clenching his fists.

Not wanting her friend to get hurt, Alex decided battling would be their best option. If she left Azure alone, who knows what could happen.

"I'll battle," she said. She threw a couple of balls, releasing Ken and Nala.

"What the hell? You've got a freaking Gyarados?" the man gaped as the Pokémon stared down at them.

"Nala, Ken, we're in a competition. If we win, we'll get a prize, what do you think?"

~Sounds like it could be fun,~ Nala grinned, unknowingly scaring the guy who had been taunting the kids.

~What's wrong with Azure?~ Ken asked, noting how upset he looked.

"These guys said some mean things to us," she answered quietly, seeing her Pokémon not look too thrilled.

Another trainer joined, calling out his Caterpie.

"Let's start," the bug trainer grinned, not as easily intimidated by the Gyarados.

"Ken, Thunder Shock!"

"Squirtle, Water Gun!"

Instantly the opposing Pokémon were knocked out, leaving their opponents to return them and send another out. The man called out a Drowzee while the bug trainer brought out a Weedle.

Like before, Squirtle and Ken knocked them out, though the Weedle tried poisoning the electric mouse. Thankfully it hadn't stung him hard enough to inject the poison.

"Looks like you move on," the guy said as he and the other stepped aside for them to walk through. Nala swam at the side of the bridge, her head kept low so she could talk when needed or listen to her trainer.

The second pair of trainers that were fought was just as easy, though the female trainer's Nidoran poisoned Nala. Alex was thankful that she had stocked up as she pulled out an antidote, curing her Pokémon.

For the third pair, Nala easily knocked the Ekans and Zubat out before they could do any real damage while Ken took out the Rattata. Azure's Squirtle and Abra knocked the other trainer's Pidgey and Paras out with little difficulty. The psychic was mostly teleporting around to annoy her opponent before it tripped and fell in the water, ending the battle.

The fourth pair called out their Pokémon, revealing to be a Pidgey and Nidoran for one, the other owning a Vulpix and Oddish. Nala again took out her opponents with no issue while Azure had Squirtle take out the fire type, his Rattata taking out the Oddish.

The fifth pair of trainers, one called out a Mankey while the other brought out a Spearow. Nala and Squirtle once more took them out with relative ease, though with how speedy they were, had trouble catching them first to attack. Thankfully, their trainers were able to guide them to their targets, Nala specifically given her large size.

"So we beat you guys, where's the host of this event?" Azure demanded.

"That would be me, is there a problem?" a young man asked as he walked up to them.

"Yeah, aside some of them rude, why are you using this bridge for your contest? Don't you know people have to cross it? What if there was an emergency?"

"Well, if there _was_ an emergency, we'd move out of the way. As for the rudeness, I'll be sure to talk with them to ensure it _doesn't_ happen again. How about we have a seat and chat a bit?" He gestured to a tent set up not far from the bridge, walking towards it. "I can also get your prizes for winning."

As they followed him inside, they took their seats, watching as he fetched a pot of tea and carried a tray for it, some cups and what looked like sugar and cream. There was also a small box that he added.

He set them down, opening the box, revealing two golden spheres.

"These are your prizes," the man stated, handing them over to two. "Now, is there any preference for tea?"

Before any could speak, a loud noise could be heard from the back of the tent.

"What was that?" Chase asked.

"N-nothing…"

Alex lets out a terrified gasp, jumping to her feet.

"He's part of Team Rocket!" she said, the boys immediately joining her.

"Now kiddo, no need to make such accusations," the man said, looking more nervous.

"I'm not making an accusation! You're stealing Pokémon, that's why you did the contest!" the girl shouted. Tears had formed as she could hear the frightened whimpers behind those curtains begging for help.

Azure immediately pulled out a pokéball, ready to call out his Abra to teleport them.

"I don't think so," the man said, several Rockets stepping out from behind the curtain. "Whatever you've got, you won't be fast enough to stop us from restraining you."

"Dammit…" the brunet cursed softly.

"You two match the description of some kids who meddled in our plans in Mt. Moon, specifically the girl."

Alex felt her blood run cold, her body trembling. Her mind was whirling as the Rockets began to draw near.

"S-stay back!" Azure threatened.

"We need something to distract them," Chase growled.

A thought forming, Alex grabbed two pokéballs, throwing them in the air before anyone could stop her.

"Nala! Hana! Help us!"

With a flash of light, the tent was torn apart as a large sea serpent ripped through the fabric, eyes widening as she took in the scene.

~Alex!~ Nala roared. She glared at the Rockets threatening her trainer and friends.

~Team Rocket!~ Hana gasped.

"Nala, keep them away from us, Hana go get the police!" Alex ordered. She could see the butterfly look concerned, but obeyed as she flew off.

"Stop that bug!" the apparent leader ordered.

Immediately, a flock of Zubat flew after Hana, the bug type letting out a frightened shriek as she was surrounded.

"Hana!"

~Leave her alone!~ Nala snarled, whipping her tail at the bats, sending most into the ground or water. ~Hurry, Hana!~

She said nothing as she flew as fast as her wings allowed.

"We need to get out of here before that Butterfree comes back with police," one of the Rockets said worriedly.

"Not until I take care of unfinished business," the leader spat as he pulled out a gun. "Say night-night kiddies."

Before he could pull the trigger, Nala took a deep inhale, spewing out a large volume of water, spraying the man and anyone else, including any Pokémon they had out. The force was enough to knock them back, the gun washed from their possession most of the Pokémon knocked unconscious.

"Nala…" Alex awed, having never seen her friend look so serious.

~I won't let _anyone_ hurt my friends!~ the Gyarados growled dangerously, using her natural intimidation to scare most into submission.

With the opening they have, she called out the rest of her Pokémon to help as Azure did the same.

~Team Rocket again?~ Sienna gasped, looking around for everyone. ~Where's Hana?~

"She went to get the police," Alex reassured. The fire type was relieved to hear that.

As if on cue, the butterfly flew back as police sirens were heard.

"You're _kidding_ me," the leader groaned. He pulled out a pokéball, surprising the group with an Abra, ordering it to use Teleport.

In an instant, he was gone, leaving the rest, including whatever Pokémon they were gathering behind.

"Dammit, he's gone!" Azure shouted, stomping his foot on the ground.

As the cruisers and vans pulled up, police poured out. They quickly collected up the remaining Rockets and trainers on the bridge.

Many wild Pokémon scattered from the area, scared of the commotion. They hid in the shadows, watching warily of what was taking place. They watched as the trapped Pokémon were rescued, many being loaded into the vans.

Amongst them, a particular Pokémon watched from the trees, fascinated by what was taking place.

Once more, the kids found themselves at the police station, the police chief sitting with them after they were done giving their statements.

"You three were _very_ lucky not to have gotten hurt," he said. "But you need to know that Team Rocket can't be dealt with by kids. Leave it to the police. I don't want to have to read your names in the obituary because of them."

"Maybe if you did your job to stop them, we wouldn't have fought them!" Azure growled, earning a glare from the older man.

"We didn't even _know_ the whole thing was being operated by Team Rocket," Chase said in hopes of lessening whatever lecture they were going to get.

"The trainers on the bridge said it was a contest," Alex added.

"This is why kids shouldn't be trainers," the chief grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just be lucky that Butterfree got one of our officer's attention when it did."

"What about the Pokémon that were being captured by Team Rocket? Are they going to be okay?"

"They're at the Pokémon Center to get treated. Once they're cleared, they'll be released back into the wild."

Alex felt relief hearing that, having been worried based on how they sounded and how chaotic things had gotten.

The police chief talked with them, mainly scolding them for battling Team Rocket despite their protests that they weren't given much of a choice under the circumstances.

By the time they were free, Azure was fuming, hands shoved in his pockets, gritting his teeth as he thought of the chief's words.

"Resign? He thinks it's best we _resign?_ " the boy growled. "What kind of answer is that?"

"Azure…" Alex started.

" _What?_ " the boy snapped, startling her. "We've been working too damn hard to just give up. What if Team Rocket finds out where we live? What if they decided we're _still_ a threat and try to attack us at our houses? I _refuse_ to put my parents in danger! You don't want to put your parents in danger either, right?"

"No, I don't, but Azure you need to calm down and think more rationally. Team Rocket isn't a group to mess with. They aren't petty thieves. They're a _gang_ that could and would kill anyone who opposes them."

"Then what should we do? Give up?"

"Guys…" Chase started, seeing how quickly it's escalating.

"I…I don't know…"

"Well, _I_ for one am _not_ giving up being a trainer!" Azure exclaimed. "I'll get stronger and stronger so they can't ever touch me. I'll get strong enough where I can get rid of them for good! Then no one has to be afraid ever again!"

"Azure, that's crazy. Even if you _did_ train that much, it's impossible…"

"Not if train the right Pokémon. If you're too much of a coward, then maybe _you_ should give up!" Azure yelled, immediately turning around and storming off.

"Azure, wait!" Alex shouted, ready to go after him.

"Give him some space, this has been a rollercoaster of a day," Chase said, placing a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "I'm sure he'll regret what he said once he's cooled off. But if you keep after him, he may lose it and do something you'll _both_ regret."

"I guess…"

The next couple days had been awkward, not helping that Azure had left since the argument, leaving the girl saddened they couldn't make up.

Hearing what happened, Roku visited them, his wife, Kasumi, joining as well. She brought with them a basket filled with baked goods. She felt that they could use a pleasant treat after dealing with so much stress.

"I'm glad that you two are safe," Roku said as they ate outside. Alex's Pokémon sat outside, some eating the treats, others poking or studying them.

"Thank you…" Alex answered as she bit into the muffin.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Kasumi asked worriedly.

"It was just really scary. I know there would be bad people in the world, but encountering members of Team Rocket multiple times in Mt. Moon, then across the bridge. Maybe the police chief is right…"

"Hold up, what did the chief say?" the gym leader asked.

"He suggested that Alex and Azure should resign," Chase answered in her place, the girl nodding sadly.

"Bastard!" Roku growled, punching the ground.

"Honey, language!" Kasumi scolded.

"Sorry, but what the hell kind of answer is that?" he retorted angrily. "Team Rocket wouldn't take pity on her if she turned her license in. They would just see her as an easy target. So long as she remains a trainer, she'll be safer. Same with Azure, _especially_ as Oak's son!"

"But what if the chief was right?" Alex asked, startled by how angry the man got.

"No. He isn't," the gym leader said flatly. "He _thinks_ it's a good idea, but it isn't. I haven't had personal dealings with Team Rocket, but I know others who have and it's not pretty. I don't want to scare you, but Team Rocket doesn't mess around. If they find someone a threat, you can be certain they'll eliminate them as quickly as they can. They don't care who you are or what age you are. Trust me; you would be a lot safer staying a trainer than retiring early."

"But I don't want anyone to get hurt," she whimpered, tears forming.

"Then keep training. You have talent, _serious_ talent. People have trouble taming a Gyarados at times. Even dragon masters have it tough. It took _me_ years to get mine under control and he was wild when I caught him. I never got to raise him as a Magikarp."

"I…" Alex started before Roku held his hand up, stopping her.

"Trust me, okay. I expect to see you in my gym soon. You'll see it in our battle that you're more than capable of continuing."

Recalling how similar this seemed when she and Flint talked and had their battle, she couldn't help but smile.

"Okay then, I'll do my best."

"Atta girl."

After talking some more, Roku and Kasumi left for the gym, leaving Alex and Chase to their thoughts.

"You okay?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, it's funny though… The way Roku talked to me was similar to how I talked with Flint when he was upset," Alex laughed a little.

"You don't have to push yourself to prove anything."

"I know, but I was serious. I don't want anyone to get hurt. I don't want to endanger people I care for. I don't want to endanger the Pokémon I've been raising. Maybe…maybe Azure is right about training really hard? Maybe it won't be enough to stop Team Rocket, but if Sienna and the others are really strong, we won't have to worry about being bothered by even their stronger members."

"I suppose that's true. Like Roku said, you're safer staying a trainer, especially if Team Rocket's got their eye on you."

"Yeah…"

~Good that she isn't giving up,~ Ansen said, having listened to the conversation. ~Too bad I can't peck this police chief's eyes out for making her doubt.~

~Nice to hear you care about her,~ Sienna smiled.

~I just want to get stronger. If she gives up, I'll be stuck at her house or released back to the wild or whatever it is their alphas might do,~ the avian grumbled, feathers fluffing in aggravation.

~ _Whatever_ you say,~ the fire type chuckled.

"Come on guys, we're going to go find an Abra!" Alex called, waving towards the two. The rest have either been recalled or joined her side.

The pair followed as they left town, crossing the bridge with no issues, reaching the spot known for the psychic Pokémon.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 8 - Badges 1 - Deaths 0**

 **Team:**

 **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon  
**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

* * *

 **Home:**

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

* * *

 **Had trouble trying to find a better way to handle the Nugget Bridge event, but I think it went well. It was actually something my mom helped me figure out since I don't know who are major Pokémaniacs, or close ones at least.**

 **Regarding the TM, I thought I had it in my bag/PC until I went to get it and realized I didn't have it. No one in the team learned it, same with those in the box, so deduced I must have accidentally tossed it or sold it. So I came up with this idea in hopes of remedying it than leaving it forgotten.**

 **And for Roku, having fun with him since it's easier to develop his character than using someone who's already present like Misty, especially if using the anime than games or whatnot.**

 **As for Roku and Kasumi being related to Misty and her sisters, not sure if I will or not. Her parents are never mentioned or shown far as I know. So I may later make them their parents or possibly an aunt and uncle.**

 **Also, who could that Pokemon eyeing the Nugget Bridge battle so excitedly?**

 **Also, I would like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with some edits on this chapter.**

 **If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	19. Chapter 19

Reaching the bridge, they could see remnants of police tape stuck to the rails as they crossed. As they walked, they continued to discuss the best course of action finding an Abra, Chase reminding Alex about the species' habit of teleporting.

"So if any of us find one, try to talk to it calmly so it doesn't run away immediately. Then try talking to them whether or not they want to join, alright?" Alex explained to her team.

~We'll do our best,~ Ken nodded.

~Should we split into teams to make looking easier?~ Lance wondered.

"Most of us. You and Sienna will look that way. Ansen and Hana will look around there. Ken and Nala will look along the shore."

"Wait, what if we're attacked?" Chase asked with some concern.

"We'll stay near any of them in case there's a problem," Alex reassured.

"Alright…" He wasn't entirely sure, but if she had enough faith in her Pokémon, he would too.

Their plan set, the Pokémon split up, making sure not to stray too far.

As time ticked by, a couple of the groups found some Abra, but the Pokémon fled almost immediately. It was either by Ansen's intimidating look or the mere idea of being captured. Soon hours had passed, noon having since come and gone. Alex was starting to feel as if they may not get lucky around here.

Just as she was about to call for everyone to regroup, she stopped when Nala and Ken began shouting excitedly.

~We found one who wants to join us!~ Nala squealed excitedly as she swam towards them. She quickly stopped when they ran over to her, unintentionally causing some waves, splashing the kids. ~Oops… Sorry, Alex. Sorry, Chase.~

"It's fine," Alex laughed, grateful only their legs below the knee got wet. "But you said that you found an Abra? That it wants to join us?"

~Yeah!~ Ken exclaimed as he hopped down. He turned, gesturing for a nervous looking Pokémon to follow. ~This is her; you don't have to be afraid. Not only does she understand what we say, but she's really kind. You can trust her.~

~Sh-she saved the Pokémon from those m-men in bl-black?~ the psychic timidly asked.

~Yeah,~ the Pikachu grinned happily. He reached his paw over, taking the other's paw into his, leading him over. ~This is Alex and this is her friend, Chase. He doesn't know what we say, but if you ask nicely, Alex can translate if you wanted to talk to him.~

~But who would want one of us? We don't learn any attacks until we evolve.~

~Neither did I and look how strong I'm getting,~ Nala happily said. ~Alex will help you, all of us will if you'd like.~

Walking over, Alex knelt down before the smaller Pokémon with a kind smile.

"Hi there," she greeted. "We'd really love it if you joined us. What do you say?"

~Y-yes, I want to get st-stro-stronger. I want to be as strong as Ken and Nala and other P-Pokémon I've seen.~

"We'll do our best to help you. But if it turns out you don't like battling or want to stop at any point just tell me. I'll release you back to the wild or you can stay at my house if you don't want that."

~I c-can?~

"That's right. I've got two Pokémon staying at my house right now, Max and Lizzy. They're my Jigglypuff and Clefairy. I'm sure you'd get along with them along with everyone else here."

~Th-then I'd like to join, please.~

Smiling, Alex started to pull out a pokéball, pausing for a moment. "Before I catch you, I want to know what kind of name you'd like."

~Name? I g-get a name?~

"I've been giving everyone else a name. I know most trainers don't, but I think there's something special giving a Pokémon name."

~I'd like a n-name then!~ the psychic exclaimed.

"How about Nate?"

~Okay!~

That taken care of, Alex gently tapped the Pokémon on the forehead with the ball, watching as he went inside. The ball wiggled a bit before it stilled, the light no longer flashing, signaling he was caught. The ball soon lit up and vanished, digitally transported home.

Standing up, Ken hopping on her shoulder, the girl called the rest of her Pokémon back, informing them that they've got an Abra.

Alex recalled Nala back into the ball along with some of the others when offered. The remainders followed her and Chase back to town, seeing the sun was starting to set.

"Alex, now that you have Nate, have you thought about who to switch?"

"I don't really know…" she admitted.

She had been thinking since it first came up, knowing Ken had to stay for the gym. Nala was another good choice as she could resist water type attacks. Ansen would peck her brains out if she contemplated sending him home, even if it's just one gym. Hana would be useful using her Sleep Powder and using Confusion.

So that leaves Lance and Sienna…

~You can switch me,~ the fire type offered suddenly. ~You can't use me, it would be too risky. It would be better to box me for the time being.~

"Are you sure?" Alex asked.

She hadn't thought about ever boxing her starter, even if it _was_ temporary. It sounded too strange a concept given how much they've been through.

~I am, it's better to play it safe.~

~If we're playing it safe, then send me with her as well,~ Lance suggested. ~You'll have an open slot to try and fill with a grass type or something just as good.~

Alex was silent, taking in what they said, still uncertain.

~We'll be fine, Alex. It wouldn't be for very long. Plus it couldn't hurt to start swapping some of us around right now,~ the fire type explained. ~If we intend to go far beating the gyms and enter competitions, then we need to balance our strengths.~

"Let me think, okay?"

~Of course,~ the Pokémon nodded, nuzzling her.

Arriving back in the city and entering the Pokémon Center, Alex had the rest of her team returned and handed to the nurse for a quick heal while she and Chase got dinner.

Both were quiet, even after the Pokémon were returned so they could eat outside, the female trainer still contemplating. She knew it was an obvious choice, but she was still unsure, glancing at the two.

Once they were done and ready to head back inside for the night, Alex got her Pokémon's attention.

"I thought about and made my choice. I'll send you both over to my mom in the morning and get Nate," she said. "But I promise to get you both back as soon as you're needed."

~It's okay, we'll just treat it as a vacation,~ Sienna joked. ~With everything that's happened, it would be nice to have a small break.~

~Yeah, plus I never got to personally meet your mom and her Pokémon. I bet it'll be fun to say hi,~ Lance grinned.

Alex couldn't help but smile, comforted that they were truly okay with this.

When the next day came, she and Chase were up and dressed, eating breakfast with everyone outside. Once they finished, they went back in, Alex going over to one of the video phones that a transfer machine attached.

Calling home, they sat and waited until Alex's mother came onto the screen.

 **"Good morning, Alex, how are things?"**

"Morning, Mom, I'm…okay."

Chase had a feeling he should let her be, so he went over to a bench to sit while Alex took care of things.

Ten minutes passed before the sounds of the transfer machine activated, the dark-haired boy looking over where his friend sat.

In a couple of minutes, two pokéballs were sent over with one returning.

Alex gave her goodbyes to her mother and Pokémon that appeared on the screen before they disconnected.

"Everything okay?"

"Told her what happened yesterday. She told me the same thing you said about giving Azure space. Hopefully, things will be better when we run into each other again."

"Same, you two looked close."

"We are," Alex answered as she glanced at the ball. Pressing the button, Nate was out and sitting on the ground, looking around in confusion.

~I-I'm not at the house?~ he said, seeing his trainer. ~Oh! You're g-going to train me?~

"That's right," Alex smiled as they headed outside, the psychic returned to his ball.

"So, have you thought of a plan on how to train him? Until he can learn something, he'll be pretty defenseless," Chase commented.

"I was thinking of using a TM I found a while back in Mt. Moon," Alex said as they stopped near the bridge. This time, she made sure not to be too close to the water, not wanting to risk a possible repeat of losing another.

"What are you going to teach him?"

"I was thinking Mega Punch."

"That's a pretty strong attack. Wouldn't you rather save it for a fighting type or use it on Ken if not Lance when he's fully evolved?"

"True…"

"How about using Seismic Toss and maybe Thunder Wave instead?"

"Both?"

"Why not? Thunder Wave is useful if timed right. And Seismic Toss isn't as strong as you might think it is."

Alex thought about it before making her decision, "Okay, we'll do that."

She called out the psychic type, telling him what they were planning; the small creature excited at the idea of learning something to help him fight.

"I'm going to put you in the ball for a few minutes, okay?"

~Okay.~

Recalling him, Alex got the TMs she planned using out, getting the first one inserted. After five minutes, the device buzzed, signaling that it was done.

Wanting to ensure he was okay, she called him out.

"How do you feel?"

~Kind of t-tingly,~ he responded, flexing his fingers. ~I-I can't explain it, b-but I th-think I know how to make ele-electricity.~

"Do you want to try?" Alex suggested.

The small Pokémon nodded, curious about what his new attack was capable of, informed that it was a status move, so it wouldn't do damage. Instead, it causes paralysis to opponents, something that caught the Pokémon's attention.

Focusing, he listened to Alex's order to attack a rock with his attack, light blue electricity enveloping his hand. He directed it at the rock, striking it with all he had.

When he stopped, he stood there in awe as did the others.

"That was great!" Alex yipped, picking her Pokémon up, hugging him.

Hugging her back, he smiled, ~Will I get to l-learn the other a-attack soon?~

"We'll do it right now," she grinned. Pulling it out of her pocket, she let out a yelp when a Spearow swooped in, snatching it from her hand. "No!"

"Maybe we could catch up to it if we go now?" Chase suggested, already starting to run down the bridge.

Alex was about to follow before recalling Professor Oak warning her and Azure not to chase something that might be dangerous.

"You coming?" he called.

Not wanting him to get hurt, she followed, recalling Nate into his ball, trying to decide whether to call Ansen or Hana out to take chase.

As they followed the bird, they ran down a maze-like pathway, encounter several trainers that wanted to battle.

"Sorry, but I have to catch up to that Spearow. It stole something of mine," Alex apologized as she ran by.

Some were good letting her be, others refusing to let her go, one of them being a girl with her Nidoran couple. Thankfully, Hana made quick work of them, though needed healing afterward due to their usage of Poison Sting.

"Good work… Dammit, I said a _good_ TM, not some piece of crap!" a trainer spat, glaring at his Pokémon.

"Hey, that belongs to me!" Alex shouted, seeing a couple of trainers looking it over.

" _This_ belongs to you?" he said with a sneer, tossing it aside. "What trainer teaches their Pokémon _Seismic Toss?_ "

A part of Alex wanted to respond but held back. She didn't want to get into an unnecessary fight, seeing Chase regret encouraging her to follow after the bird.

They were about to back away and leave, the sound of a pokéball releasing a Pokémon could be heard, a bright light following. When it faded, Nate was looking around, having sensed things were tense. Spotting the TM, he lit up.

~I'll g-get it,~ he announced. He teleported over to it, picking it up in his paws.

"Nate, get back here!" Alex shouted. The moment the words left her, a Machop shot from a bush. With no warning or mercy, it slammed its arm down on the surprised psychic's back, a crack heard. "Nate!"

Chase turned the two, seeing the smug looks on their faces, fear choking his words away. The scene brought back memories of his Pokémon being slaughtered. He fell to his knees, trembling, throat tightening as bile threatened to come up.

He barely focused hearing Alex screaming something, the sounds of another ball being released. Hearing the roar of a familiar Pokémon snapped him back, seeing Nala coiling around them, anger shining in her normally passive eyes.

The thieves had paled upon seeing the beast, immediately fleeing, their Pokémon close behind them.

Watching as Nala leaned down to the still psychic, Alex running over as well, torn between picking him up or not evident in her eyes. Chase couldn't see the Pokémon breathing, but he was also face down. And that crack they heard? He was scared if he or Alex tried turning him over to check.

Finding his voice, not even realizing he was crying as he stood back up, he shouted to his friend. "Get him in his ball right now!"

Alex jumped, staring at him with wide eyes before nodding, grabbing Nate's ball, recalling him inside. Chase felt a flicker of hope inside. The ball wouldn't have worked if Nate was dead, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen. They had to hurry!

Grabbing her hand, the two ran back to Cerulean City as quickly as their legs allowed, Nala right alongside them.

The serpent-like beast proved faster, encouraging them with worried roars to climb on, speeding past startled trainers and Pokémon in their path. Within minutes, they were back in the city, the kids jumping off and running inside the Pokémon Center.

Soon the rest became a blur; both watching as Nurse Joy took the pokéball upon hearing it was an emergency. She only stuck around long enough to know the injury was a possible broken spine, but nothing more.

With that, Alex and Chase sat together in the lobby, anxiously waiting.

Hours passed, the light from the ER still glowing, taunting them with uncertainty.

"What if he doesn't make it?" Alex wondered, breaking the suffocating silence. Chase glanced her way, uncertain of how to answer. Turning away, he stared at the floor, bringing his legs up, resting his chin on his knees. "Why did he come out of the ball?" Again, he doesn't know or why he hadn't sensed the possible danger. "Why didn't I just give up on that stupid TM?"

At _that,_ Chase had an answer. "Don't blame yourself. Going after it was my idea. If anyone's to blame for all of this…it should be me."

"I don't want him to die," Alex sobbed. She mimicked what he had done, loud sobs escaping her small form.

After a while, the doors from the front of the Pokémon Center opened, Roku walking in. He had spotted Nala curled up outside the building. Her depressing expression was heartbreaking, worrying him of what might have happened.

When he walked in, he could hear a girl's sobbing, recognizing it, making his worry increase. "What happened?" he asked, finding the pair. He spotted the ER light, having a bad feeling about it.

Neither said anything, Chase eventually answering in his friend's place. "There…there was an accident…"

Roku's eyes widened, but before he could ask, the ER light finally blinked out. A couple minutes after, the nurse stepped out. Her movements, however, were slow, a frown planted on her gentle face.

"Alex…" she started sadly. "I'm sorry, we did everything we could."

"No…he…he can't be gone," Alex whispered. A fresh wave of tears filled her green eyes, quickly spilling over. She covered her faces, shoulders shaking, voice muffled in her palms. "He wanted to get stronger. He trusted me to take care of him. He can't be gone, he just can't be! It isn't fair!"

"I'm very sorry for your loss," the nurse said.

Alex didn't hear her as she fell to her knees, sobbing loudly.

Her sobs grew louder as she wrapped her arms around herself. Her chest felt tight, unaware of a set of arms wrapping around her tightly.

Roku stared sadly at the two as the poor girl cried, her friend comforting her. He turned to the nurse to talk with her. "I'll take care of any funeral costs for her Pokémon. Just make sure that his body gets there safely."

"Of course," Nurse Joy nodded. The two walked over to the front desk to fill out the necessary paperwork, allowing the kids privacy.

Roku glanced at Alex as her sobs began to die down, unsure if she had passed out or started to calm down. He saw that her body had gone limp in Chase's arms, but seeing no immediate distress from the boy or her body, assumed she had fainted. He didn't really blame her, it wasn't easy losing your Pokémon, the hardest being your first loss.

Finishing up the paperwork, he walked over, picking the small girl up.

"Where are you two staying?" he asked.

"Down the hall," Chase answered, surprised how generous the gym leader is being. He led the way, the older man carrying Alex in his arms. "It's my fault he's dead…"

"It sadly happens no matter how hard we try to avoid it," Roku said softly. "You said there was an accident. Was it a wild Pokémon?"

Chase shook his head, "No. A Spearow stole a TM and…I suggested we go after it. I didn't think it could've been a trap when we caught up with it."

"You two were ambushed? By who? Team Rocket?" the gym leader asked, alarmed by this, hating the luck these two have been getting.

"I don't think so. I think they were just normal thieves. One of them was having their Spearow go around and steal stuff, mostly TMs from how they acted towards Alex's."

"I see, but how did her Pokémon get involved?"

"We don't know. He just came out on his own. But when he saw the TM, he tried getting it back for us. That's when the other guy's Machop came out of the bushes and attacked."

Roku's frown deepened, having read the report for the cause of death. It was a mix of internal bleeding and a crushed spine. Part of him was relieved to have been the one to read it than letting either of them do so, Alex especially. His hold on the sleeping girl tightened, a protective growl threatening to escape at the thought of these thieves.

"What happened after?"

"They ran when Alex called Nala out. We were panicking, she got Nate in his ball and we started to run back here. Nala encouraged us to climb on her back so we could get here faster."

"I'll look into this and talk with the police about what happened."

Chase nodded as they reached his and Alex's room, opening the door so they could go in.

Roku gingerly set Alex on her cot, tucking her in, hoping she won't be plagued by terrible dreams.

While hesitant, he retrieved her pokéballs, namely to find Nala's knowing she can't stay out of it forever. There would be too many complaints from concerned citizens and Alex has enough of her plate as is.

"Take care of them until she's ready, okay?"

Chase almost fumbled with the pokéballs as they were handed to him, getting the idea of what Roku meant.

"I hope she'll be okay," the boy whispered.

"For her sake, I hope so too," the gym leader sighed before leaving.

Chase was quiet as he sat on his cot, looking at her with tear-filled eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Alex. I didn't mean it, I honestly didn't mean it," he cried softly, burying his face in his hand. "I'm sorry Nate…"

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 9 - Badges 1 - Deaths 1**

 **Team:**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

* * *

 **Home:**

 ** **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon****

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

* * *

 **Death(s):  
**

 **Nate - Abra**

* * *

 **Oh man, losing Nate the first time was tough, but I will be honest to say that I actually hoped it wouldn't happen again.**

 **I made the mistake of leaving him out in a battle he wasn't ready for. He gained a few levels and thought he'd be fast enough to paralyze the Machop so I can switch, then Karate Chop and given it's a Gen 1 game, it was a crit.**

 **While sad that I lost him, especially given I wanted to give him more life than being a timid silent/mute cutie, it isn't as painful as the first time. Likely because when I had lost him, it was not long after my cat, Salem, passed away.** _That_ **was painful and to have it made it rawer when written down.**

 **Hopefully, the emotion was recaptured, even if it was done differently than before.**

 **Also, I would like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with some edits on this chapter.**

 **I** f **you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chase opened his eyes, realizing that he fell asleep at some point. He was slumped on his cot, joints aching from the awkward position he had been in.

Pushing himself into a sitting position, he pushed his glasses up to rub at his eyes as he began to wake up. When his eyes fell on Alex's cot, he woke up immediately, noticing that she was missing. He started to panic, wondering where she could have gone. He could see that most of her pokéballs were still on his cot, one of them missing. He wasn't sure which one it was until spotting a scrap of paper on the table.

Picking it up, he read it, his body starting to relax:

* * *

 _Sorry for leaving without waking you up, but I wanted to get some air. I promise I'll be back soon, so please don't worry._

 _I took Nala's pokéball just in case._

 _Alex_

 _I don't blame you._

* * *

Immediately, a strong sense of dread ravaged him as he reread it. He was torn between relief and feeling even guiltier.

Sitting back on the cot, one of the pokéballs rolled off, causing it to activate upon hitting the ground, releasing Ken.

"Pika?" The electric mouse blinked, looking around the room. He didn't see his trainer, only Chase. He was curious about where she went. "Pika, pi!" he called to the boy, grabbing his attention.

"Ken?" the boy looked his way. Seeing the confused expression, he had an idea of what was on the mouse's mind. "Alex needed some air…"

"Pi pika pi pi pika?"

Ken knew he wouldn't understand, so he gestured to his eyes to mimic his worry. Thankfully, the boy figured it out.

"That… Something happened to Nate," Chase started, seeing the worry in the Pokémon's eyes. Glancing at the other pokéballs, he picked them up and released the others. They all had a right to know, not just Ken and it might make it easier for Alex letting him break the news.

"Bree bree ree? Bree burgee?" Hana chattered, looking confused as she fluttered around the room.

"Pika pi pi pikachu pi," Ken responded, gesturing to Chase.

"Pidgeo pidge," Ansen clucked, giving the boy a look to start talking.

"Guys, something happened earlier today…" Chase started. He wasn't even sure if it _was_ still today. He never looked at the clock, unable to do so. He didn't want to know how much time had passed. "Something happened when we were out."

He told them what had happened, seeing how their expressions changed. He didn't need any sort of translation to know what they might be saying.

Hana let out heartbreaking chatters, almost collapsing to the ground if Ansen hadn't surprisingly caught her with his wing. Ken cried, covering his face with his paws, tears falling down his cheeks, body shaking with every sob.

The only one keeping it together was Ansen. The bird's head was dipped low, shadowing his eyes as he remained silent, allowing the smaller Pokémon cry. He made no gesture to tease or mock them for it, nor seemed angry about what happened. It doesn't mean he _wasn't_ angry, but he was surprisingly holding his temper, a complete opposite of his usual attitude and the stories Alex shared.

"I'm so sorry this happened," Chase apologized softly, looking down at the floor. "I'm so sorry, Ken. I know you and Nala really liked him."

Sniffling, Ken looked up; surprising the boy as he jumped into his arms, clutching his shirt, body shaking still as he continued to cry.

After some time passed, they looked up when hearing the door being opened. Alex carefully stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. She wore a surprised look seeing her Pokémon out and in distress.

"I didn't worry you, did I?" she asked worriedly.

"No… I…I told them what happened," Chase hiccupped as he wiped at his eyes once more. "I figured it would have been easier for you…"

"Oh…" she said softly. "Chase, I don't blame you. Nate was my responsibility, not yours. I should have known something was wrong. I should have just given up getting that TM back, convince you to give it up as well."

~So Nate's _really_ gone?~ Ken hiccupped, looking to his trainer.

"He is. I asked the nurse and she… He didn't feel any pain before he…"

Alex could feel tears forming again, letting out a small gasp as she wiped at her bloodshot eyes. She leaned against the door, sliding down into a sitting position. Again, she drew her knees up, crying into them.

"I broke my promise to him. Nate trusted me…"

Hopping down from Chase's lap, Ken squeezed himself into hers, forcing her to sit up a little more so he could fit.

~You didn't break your promise. It was an accident, a bad one,~ the mouse reasoned, tears falling from his eyes.

Alex said nothing as she hugged him tightly. Hana fluttered over, doing what she could to hug her trainer. Ansen walked over, seating himself next to the group. He made no attempt to reach out and comfort Alex, but his presence seemed to add comfort as she pulled him into a hug.

~Alex, don't let his death be in vain,~ Ansen said, his voice oddly soft. He didn't look at her, yet didn't need to, knowing she was listening. She always listened to him, _all_ of them did for that matter. ~If you give up, you'll be ruining his memory. He was a nervous wreck before you caught him. I'm sure if things were different, he would have grown to become a good Pokémon. Maybe even stopped his stuttering if he felt strong enough to hold his own.~

"You're only saying that so I don't stop training you," Alex mumbled into Ken's fur.

~I could find another trainer if I wanted,~ he answered, a little miffed, but it was understandable. He was not an emotional mess like the others. ~He _wanted_ to be strong like us. He wanted to become strong _with_ us. If you give up, it would be like spitting on his remains.~

Alex froze, looking up as she looked at her Pokémon in surprise.

Grateful to have her full attention, not that he had any worries, he continued. ~Pokémon die. That's how nature works. Whether it's by the hands of a wild or a trained Pokémon, it happens no matter what.~

"But Professor Oak said it doesn't happen that often in battles…"

~That may be true, but it _still_ happens. Death _can't_ be stopped. The only thing we can do is press on not just for ourselves, but those we lose.~

Alex was quiet as she let it process in her mind. Deep down, she knew he was right, but it didn't make the pain go away.

"I'm scared," she admitted. "I'm really scared that it'll happen again…"

Chase was quiet, having let his friend talk with her Pokémon, seeing how Ansen seemed to be trying to give some kind of advice. Given Alex didn't get upset or angry, he likely said something that had some level of comfort.

Walking over, he knelt in front of them, placing a hand on her shoulder, grabbing her attention.

"Alex, I can't promise it won't happen again, but we can work really hard so it doesn't happen for a long time," he reassured.

~He's right. We'll use this as a learning experience. If we get any more new members, you keep one of us out to assist with training,~ the avian stated firmly. ~If we go that route, then it lessens the risks.~

Alex looked at them before looking at Ken and Hana, knowing how quiet they've been.

"Ken? Hana? Do you want to still keep going?" she asked softly.

~I don't know…~ the electric Pokémon admitted. ~I don't want to lose anyone else or learn we lost someone, but…but I don't want to leave either.~

~Same here,~ Hana nodded, ~but I _really_ want to stay. I like traveling with everyone and I do want to see more.~

"So do I…" Alex paused taking one last look at her friends. "Alright, we'll keep going, but I want to talk with Sienna and the others back home. They deserve to know."

"Of course," Chase nodded, the Pokémon agreeing.

Allowing her to get up, she wiped at her eyes of any remaining tears, giving them a reassuring smile. It still hurt, but somehow felt more manageable after hearing the support from her Pokémon and Chase.

Making sure she was decent, she headed out back to the main lobby, finding an empty video phone, calling her home.

 **"Alex? Is everything okay?"** her mom asked. She was about to greet her but stopped when seeing the state her child is in.

"Sort of," the girl answered softly. "I…I lost a Pokémon…"

 **"I'm so sorry honey,"** her mother said, concern on her face. **"Are the others okay? Do you need money for the funeral?"**

"The gym leader told me he's paying for it," Alex answered, her voice becoming thick again, tears burning. "Mom, could you get Sienna and the others? I want to tell them what happened."

 **"Okay, sweetie."**

Her mother disappeared briefly, hearing her voice calling out to the Pokémon, likely playing outside. Alex could feel her stomach twist when they showed up, their smiles already starting to fade away.

 **~What's wrong, Alex?~** Sienna asked, concern already showing.

 **~Is everything okay?~** Lizzy asked worriedly. Max shared the same concern.

"It's Nate… He…he died," Alex said, tears already falling. "We were ambushed by some thieves and they killed him."

 **~Did you get the police?~** Lance gasped.

"Roku told me earlier he talked with them in my place. He's also taking care of the funeral costs for Nate."

 **~I can't believe he's gone… He just joined us…~** Max muttered, despair shining in his large eyes.

"I'm sorry," Alex apologized, shoulders shaking. "It was so fast. I don't even know why he came out of his ball or where that Machop came from. If I could, I'd…I would…"

 **"Alex, don't blame yourself,"** her mother said, stepping in. **"I'm sure you did your best to save him."**

"It doesn't feel like it was enough," Alex cried, shoulders shaking. "All I could do was get him in his ball. I didn't know what to do… I wish I knew what I could have done…"

 **"Alex…"** her mother whispered, her heart breaking. **"Alex, please calm down. It'll be alright, you did your best."**

Alex nodded weakly, sniffling as she looked back to her Pokémon. Taking a moment to calm herself, wiping at her eyes, she took a couple of breaths.

"I'm sorry about that," she whispered.

 **~It's alright, you have every right to be upset,~** Sienna comforted. **~I'm sure Nate wouldn't want to see you this upset. He looked like a sweet Pokémon and what Lizzy and Max told us, he was very friendly.~**

"He was…" Alex whispered before continuing. "I've talked with Ansen, Hana, and Ken earlier. Well, I know this may sound strange after what's happened, but we agreed to keep going. We're going to work harder so we don't lose anyone else. I'm going to talk with Nala to see if she wants to stay or not." She paused for a moment, letting it sink in before continuing. "I…I want to know if any of you still want to travel or want to stay registered as my Pokémon. If you don't want to battle, I'll understand. You can stay home or I can have you released back into the wild."

 **~I'll always stay with you, no matter what,~** Sienna answered quickly. **~It's horrible that we lost someone, but I wouldn't feel right giving up.~**

 **~I have to agree. Remember how many close calls we had when you were training me?~** Lance exclaimed, almost knocking the monitor over when he put his paws on the desk. **~I don't want to give up all of that effort of getting stronger. I want to keep battling so I can protect you, Sienna, and everyone else!~**

"Max? Lizzy?"

 **~I don't know if I want to battle as much as before, but I don't want to leave either. I like living here,~** Lizzy answered nervously. **~Could I think about it?~**

"Take all the time you need."

 **~I want to stay, but I'm less inclined to battle if that's still fine with you.~**

"Of course, Max, I don't want to force _any_ of you to battle if you don't want to."

Alex gave them a pained smile, oddly relieved to hear they don't want to leave her, even if two aren't ever going to battle. It didn't bother her in the least. They could act as support and cheer them on if they wanted.

 **~Do you want one of us to come over?~** Sienna asked.

"It might not hurt. While I don't have any motivation to battle the gym right away, I _know_ we'll have to at some point. If anything to keep Ansen happy," Alex joked, causing the others to snicker.

 **~I'll come…~** Sienna started before Lance nudged her.

 **~ _I'll_ go, it _is_ a water gym. You wouldn't be able to fight. Plus, you can keep Max and Lizzy company in case they need someone to talk with. You're better at it than me,~** the poison type smiled.

 **~But if he has a psychic…~**

 **~Better than sending someone with a flame on their tail,~** Lance half-joked.

 **~I suppose you're right… Then I'll stay a little longer,~** Sienna sighed with a sad smile. **~Just don't do anything dumb, okay? Leave that to Ansen.~**

 **~No problem!~**

"Mom? Lance wants to come back. Sienna will stay for a little longer."

 **"Alright, honey,"** her mom nodded. She was glad to see her daughter's expression brighten a little. Whatever her Pokémon said, it seemed to help her mood.

While things were getting more dangerous than she wanted for her child, she was relieved she not only has such good Pokémon but acquired this strange ability. It has really been helping her more than if she hadn't gotten it. Alex and her Pokémon were becoming so much closer than she would have imagined.

Grabbing Lance's pokéball, she recalled him, setting the transfer so he would be sent back to his trainer.

 **"Alex, just remember you can always call me if anything happens, alright? Do you want me to fill your father in on what happened?"**

"Okay, it'd be better than having him find out from someone else," Alex answered while hitting the necessary keys. She would have called him herself, but his job doesn't always allow outside calls except for emergencies.

A few minutes passed and the transfer machine lit up and released a blast of energy as the pokéball rematerialized itself.

"I'll have you come back after the gym battle," Alex reassured.

 **~It's okay, don't push yourself or let the others push themselves,~** Sienna smiled.

Alex nodded, "Bye, Mom. Bye, Sienna, everyone."

The four waved goodbye before the connection was disconnected, the girl feeling as if a weight might have been lifted off her shoulders.

Getting up, she turned to see Chase and the others waiting for her by the doorway.

"Everything worked out?" the boy asked.

"Yeah, Lizzy's unsure about whether she would want to battle after what I told them. Max seems to have made his mind up about not ever battling. Sienna and Lance want to stay with me and keep battling."

"I figured that part when I saw the pokéball brought in. What about your mom?"

"She feels bad that I lost Nate. I mean, she told me there was always a chance a Pokémon could die, but she and Professor Oak reassured me and Azure that it was unlikely because of modern medicine. But there was still a chance with age or accidents…"

"Do you need some time?"

"A little, but I want to talk to Nala. I got everyone else's answer but hers," Alex said. "I'll be back in a bit."

"Alright," he nodded. He wasn't sure about leaving her alone but didn't want to upset her by not giving her space. So he watched her leave.

As Alex left the Pokémon Center, she went near where the bridge is, feeling that it would be private enough. Once she was at the grass section beside the bridge, she called out her Pokémon, allowing her to swim comfortably in the water.

The moment she was out of her ball, Alex told her what had happened, the serpent-like Pokémon breaking down into tears.

~I-I wasn't fast enough to save him! I wanted to h-help him get strong like you helped me!~ the Gyarados sobbed. She had laid her head on the ground, nearly burying her face in the dirt and grass as she continued crying.

"Nala, don't blame yourself, it isn't your fault," Alex comforted, resting her head against her Pokémon's. She hugged her as best as she could, tears burning her eyes again. "We didn't know something like that would happen…"

~But it isn't fair that he died! He was so nice,~ she sniffled.

"He really was…" the girl whispered, petting the blue scales. "Nala, I know it might sound difficult, but I wanted to ask you something. I got everyone else's answers."

~What is it?~

Alex told her what she and the others discussed, starting with Ansen and Chase's speech before asking whether the Pokémon wanted to stay or not.

~Oh…~ the draconic Pokémon sighed. ~I don't know. I mean, I like battling now that I've evolved, but I don't want to see someone else die.~

"We can make a strategy so we can try to prevent it. I don't want you guys to die either. That's why I'm giving you a choice if you want to keep battling or not. Even stay with me, go to my house, or be released."

Nala nodded, tears still in her eyes. ~I want to stay. I don't want to see someone else die, not if I can help it.~

"We'll _all_ work hard so it doesn't happen," Alex smiled, giving her friend a firmer hug.

As they both began to calm down, Alex recalled Nala back to her ball, the Pokémon having asked. The trainer knew she probably should return to the Pokémon Center, but part of just wanted to be left alone for a little bit. Just a moment to herself to help collect her thoughts.

Mindful of the tape, she crossed the wooden planks, the air becoming so quiet the further she went down. About halfway across, she stopped, gazing at Mt. Moon in the distance.

Alex stood there, lost in her thoughts as she stared at the mountain. It was hard to tell just how long she had been there, trainers passing by from either end. After some time, she was the only one left.

 _{I'm sorry for your loss,}_ a female voice whispered.

Alex jumped, quickly looking around, but saw no one. Feeling as if it was in her mind, she went to return staring at the mountain. However, instead of it, there was an unfamiliar Pokémon floating there.

Alex let out a yelp, jumping back, falling on her backside.

 _{Are you okay?}_ the voice asked.

"Y-yeah…" she groaned. A small gasp escaped, realizing that the voice was coming from the concerned Pokémon. "Did you… How did you…"

 _{Telepathy,}_ the Pokémon answered with a small smile. _{Sorry for scaring you like that.}_

"It's fine… But who… What _are_ you?"

 _{I'm a Mew,}_ the Pokémon answered, floating closer to the seated trainer.

"M-Mew?" Alex stammered. "But that can't be true. Aren't they supposed to be a myth?"

The raven-haired girl remembered learning about the differences between legendary and mythical Pokémon back in school.

For most legendary Pokémon, there has been evidence to prove their existence, people having seen or caught such Pokémon. Mythical Pokémon though, far as she knew have yet to be proven real. They were only recognized as tales passed down, written in books or told as campfire stories.

One thing both have in common is their immense power, mythical Pokémon though are thought to be stronger, almost godlike.

 _{That's what people **like** to say and think,}_ the Pokémon grinned as she did a flip in the air. _{Our kind likes to stay hidden. There's not many of us left in the world, so we have to be extra careful.}_

"B-but why are you here then?" Alex asked, looking around for onlookers. Seeing none, she felt they were a little safer. "This doesn't seem very careful though…"

 _{That's true,}_ the cat hummed, _{if my granny knew what I was doing, she'd have me by the tail.}_

"Why risk yourself though?"

 _{If I'm being honest, I like watching all kinds of trainers that come and go through this city.}_

"You do?"

 _{Yeah, I happen to live here, well sort of. I actually live **there** with the rest of my clowder.}_ The psychic gestured towards the intimidating cavern not far from where they were.

"You live there?" Alex asked.

The other nodded, _{Yup! Not a lot of trainers go in there because there are a lot of really strong Pokémon living inside. Some do go in, but it's rare and they hardly go very deep where our nest is.}_

"What do you do for food though?"

 _{We have ways to get out and hunt,}_ the cat grinned broadly. _{Although, in my case, besides hunting, I like to watch trainers.}_

"Why exactly _do_ you watch trainers?"

 _{I think trainers are interesting,}_ the psychic answered. _{They always travel and have all sorts of Pokémon traveling with them. I find it fascinating to see weak Pokémon become powerful, especially ones that lived around here.}_ Mew floated down, seating itself on the bridge railing. _{I've **always** wanted to be as strong as them, but obviously, that's not easy to accomplish.}_

"I suppose that's true… How long have you been watching me?"

 _{When you and those boys were on the bridge actually. Out of all the trainers I've seen, you've been the most interesting.}_

"I am?" Alex blinked.

Mew nodded, _{Yeah, I saw how you helped save those Pokémon. So many trainers had ignored their cries for help. Even their Pokémon couldn't get their attention to try and help.}_ The psychic's smile fell a little. _{I wanted to help, but I knew if I tried, I'd risk endangering my clowder. I feel horrible not doing anything, being so weak…}_ Her smile soon came back, eyes soft when staring at the girl. _{But you and your friends showed up! Not only did you hear their cries, but you were able to help them. You saved so many lives!}_

Alex was stunned hearing this, her cheeks unknowingly becoming red. Shaking her head, she looked at the mythical creature. "That's not true though. I heard them, but I didn't really _save_ them. I panicked. I was scared…"

 _{You were brave enough to call out your Pokémon, to send that Butterfree to get others to help stop them.}_ The girl didn't know how to respond to that. Smiling, the Pokémon continued, _{You're really good at what you do, as a trainer.}_

"I…I don't know about that…" Alex said quietly. Her mind drifted back to Nate, tears stinging her eyes once more.

 _{I'm sorry that your friend had died,}_ Mew apologized. She floated closer, nuzzling against her cheek. _{I saw when you caught him, the way you treated him before catching him. I…I was also around when that Machop attacked. Maybe I could have done something, even as a distraction before it happened…}_

"But that would have put you at risk though!" Alex exclaimed.

 _{That's true, but…}_ the cat sighed. Floating away, she plopped back on the railing, staring down at the water. Alex carefully got back up, joining her, seeing her expression, noting that she seemed as if she was contemplating something. Without warning, the Pokémon shot up, almost crashing into the trainer. _{I know this may sound awkward, rude even, but I have a favor to ask.}_

"A favor?"

 _{ I don't want to see any more Pokémon suffer like that again,}_ Mew started. _{I watched those people kidnap Pokémon and hurt them. And all I did was sit back and do nothing!}_ She gave the bridge a firm smack with her tail, leaving a light print from the assault. _{Then what happened to that Abra, your friend…}_ She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back tears. _{I should have **done** something! Because I didn't though, he died!}_

"Mew…" Alex saw how upset the Pokémon looked. Tentatively, she reached her hand out, gently placing it on her head. Mew was startled but didn't attempt to flee. "Mew, it isn't your fault that happened. It was…it was an accident.}

 _{But…}_

"Please, _please_ don't blame yourself," Alex begged, the Pokémon becoming silent.

A sudden look of determination sudden flared in the cat's eyes. _{Then let me go with you!}_

"What?" Alex gasped, almost jumping away from the mental outburst.

 _{Please! I'm sick of having to constantly hide when others need help. I want to grow stronger so that other Pokémon won't ever have to suffer_!} Mew explained desperately. _{Let me join you, please.}_

"But why me?"

 _{I've seen the bond you and your team have. I believe it's that bond that will help me grow stronger.}_

"But are you sure though?"

The psychic nodded with a sad smile, _{I know asking just after losing something isn't right, but I didn't want to risk waiting and having you leave before I could ask. I wouldn't know when you would return. If you **ever** returned.}_

"I guess that makes sense," Alex whispered, thinking it over. A concerned thought came to mind though. "What about your friends and family? Won't they miss you?"

 _{A little, but they'll be fine without me. I never fit in because I was always considered **"reckless."** Instead of keeping to the shadows like everyone else, I would take chances being in the open, even going into the city. So if they found out I got captured, I don't think they'd really care or be surprised. They would only hope that whoever caught me was nice.}_

Alex was silent for a moment, uncertain on how she felt about all of this.

Besides given a huge opportunity to raise a mythical Pokémon, the idea of catching one, _any_ Pokémon really after losing Nate felt strange.

Would it be considered a disgrace to his death? Especially if the new Pokémon is the same type as him? How would the others react if she caught Mew? Would they think less of her?

 _{You can time your time to decide. I'm sorry for imposing like this,}_ the Pokémon apologized, noticing Alex's uneasiness.

"N-no, no, it's fine." Alex gave the Pokémon a smile, having finally made her decision. "You can join."

Mew's eyes widened, a swell of joy coursing through her body. She did several spins in the air, flying back to nuzzle the girl's face again.

 _{Thank you! I promise to fight as hard as I can!}_ she exclaimed.

Alex felt that she made the right choice based on the other's response.

No one could replace Nate, but Alex knew that she couldn't deny a new friend just because he's gone. No, he, like everyone, would love to meet Mew and become friends with her.

"Would you like a name?" Alex asked as she fished for a pokéball.

 _{Sure!}_ the cat chirped happily, still giddy at what's happening.

Alex thought for a moment until a name came to mind. "How about Cerulean?"

 _{After the city?}_

"I thought it sounded pretty."

 _{Well, you're not wrong about that… I like it. I'll go by Cerulean from now on,}_ the psychic beamed.

With a smile, Alex held the ball up, allowing the Pokémon to tap it. She watched as the psychic's body was enveloped in the red light, its form breaking down and absorbed inside.

"Welcome to the team then, Cerulean."

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 10 - Badges 1 - Deaths 1**

 **Team:**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

 **Cerulean - Mew**

* * *

 **Home:**

 ** **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon****

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

* * *

 **Death(s):  
**

 **Nate - Abra**

* * *

 **Kind of like the last chapter when it came to emotion, but this I based it on a somewhat recent loss I had last year. My dad had passed and while painful, I hadn't lost it nor felt intense remorse. For him, it was strangely a relief given the number of medical issues he was having, knowing he's at peace and** hopefully **in a better place. Whether its Heaven or some other peaceful afterlife, so long as he's happy is all that matters.**

 **Even had a few dreams with him being his goofy self, so I take it as a sign as does my mom when I share them with her.**

 **I figured I could try to replicate the emotion, I felt inside and likely what my mom felt even if we didn't physically express it at the time or even now.**

 **In regards to Cerulean, I did want to try using a Mew again like the last run. As for where I got her, she was the one you'd get on Nugget Bridge, so right on the border to Cerulean City and Route 25.**

 **Also, in regards to Cerulean's means of communication, I figured to use telepathy. She may not _always_ use it but figured most legendary or some other unique Pokemon can, so why not her? Plus it would add another potential translator for Chase than constantly relying on Alex.**

 **The text style for Cerulean I tried to make unique like I had done for the other Pokemon, so hopefully it works. Originally it was going to be _bold and italic,_ but I took away the **bold **to make it look a little cleaner.**

 **If you agree, I'll keep it, if not return to the original style or change to another that works better if anyone suggests it.**

 **I would like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with some edits on this chapter.**

 **I** f **you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	21. Chapter 21

By the time Alex returned to the Pokémon Center, it was already starting to get late, finding Chase already waiting for her in the lobby.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"A little better," she answered. "I…I had time to think…" She was hesitant to mention Cerulean but knew she couldn't keep the cat a secret. They're going to travel together, but how would he react?

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh, I…" Glancing around for signs of people that may listen in, she leaned closer. "I…I met a Pokémon and she wanted to join."

"Really? What kind of Pokémon is she?"

Chewing her lip, she was afraid of letting the Pokémon out. She should have thought about it more carefully, but it happened so fast.

"Come on, I'll show you in the room," Alex said. Chase nodded, concern showing as he followed her.

He was confused as to why she was being so secretive. What type of Pokémon could she have caught?

Once inside, the smaller Pokémon were let back out minus the newest one. Alex was saving her for later until it's time. As she held the ball in her hand, memories of everything that has happened flashed through her mind.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?" Chase asked again. He didn't want to repeat so much, but he really was worried.

As short as Nate had been on her team, losing him really hit her hard. His immediate response didn't help. Already he could see flashes of his team being torn apart darting across his mind. She didn't deserve to go through what he's going through.

"I'm not really sure," Alex admitted. She held Cerulean's ball in her hands.

~Remember what we said, what Ansen said,~ Hana reassured. She flew over, settling next to her trainer. She looked at the pokéball, noticing it was newer. It wasn't Nate's, she's certain of that. She doesn't even know if Alex still has his ball or was allowed to keep it.

"I remember," Alex nodded. "While I was out, I talked with Nala… She still wants to stay and keep battling. She doesn't want anyone else to get hurt or worse like Nate had."

The others listened, most looking relieved the water type was staying.

~What's inside that ball?~ Ansen asked. He pointed with his wing, gesturing the ball.

"Her name's Cerulean," Alex started. "I met her on the bridge after Nala asked to be in her ball. We talked and she asked if she could join. She was there when Team Rocket was stealing the wild Pokémon, but all she could do was watch."

~Why watch?~ Ansen asked warily.

"She told me she isn't very strong. She would have been captured if she tried fighting them," the trainer explained. "But that's why she wanted to join. She wants to get stronger so she can be able to protect other Pokémon better. She doesn't want to see others suffer if she can help it. She doesn't want to see others end up like Nate had…"

Chase noticed the hesitation, so decided to chime in so Alex wouldn't have to think about Nate too much. "You said she was special, right?"

Alex nodded, holding the ball up. "I want you guys to know that I didn't catch her to replace Nate. But I want you to meet her and please treat her as a friend." With a press of the button, the ball activated, releasing the Pokémon inside.

When the light faded, a pink kitten was floating in the room. Chase's eyes wide as were the others in the room.

~She's so pretty!~ Hana exclaimed, flying over. ~Hi, there!~

Surprised by the greeting, the cat spun before relaxing. _{Hi, you're the Butterfree who got those uniformed adults.}_

~Alex called them police,~ the butterfly said. ~Alex said you wanted to join, because of what happened with Team Rocket? And…and what happened with Nate?~ Her voice trailed off a little, antenna dropping slightly when mentioning their deceased friend.

 _{I did ask to join. I've always wanted to travel and see beyond the city, but after what's happened, now I want to travel so I can get stronger. I want to be able to protect others if I can.}_

Turning to Chase, the cat gave the surprised teen a small wave.

"What kind of Pokémon are you? And how can you talk?" the teen asked. He's never seen a Pokémon like her before. He could only imagine just how rare she could be. Now he understands Alex's nervousness.

"She's a Mew," Alex answered. "And she's using telepathy to talk to us."

"You're kidding?" Chase responded. He was familiar with the myth around Mew.

 _{She's not,}_ Cerulean chimed in. _{I am a Mew.}_

"But aren't you a mythical Pokémon?"

 _{Based on what people say, I guess so.}_

~I wonder what makes a Pokémon be considered mythical?~ Lance wondered.

"From what I remember in school, legendary and mythical Pokémon gained those classes based on rarity and how powerful they could be. Mythical Pokémon are species that are harder to find if they exist or not," Alex answered. "They also gain that status because they're sometimes viewed as godlike beings."

~Well, Cerulean certainly exists if she really is a Mew,~ Ken pointed out. ~But, if you're that rare, why are you here?~

 _{I'm not like most of my clowder. I don't really like hiding and keeping away from people. I enjoy watching them, trainers in particular. I love watching their battles and seeing weak Pokémon becoming strong, especially ones from around here,}_ Cerulean explained, giving a happy spin in midair.

"Won't they miss you then?" Chase asked.

 _{They know what I'm like. If they haven't already found out I've been captured, they will soon enough and won't be too surprised,}_ Cerulean answered. Looking at the others, she could see that some already seem to like her, which made her happy. But the avian though didn't seem too impressed with her presence but could tell he wasn't the social type. She was certain he'll warm up in his own way.

~We'll try to help you get strong,~ Hana reassured. ~We made plans on what to do for training with new teammates.~

 _{You did?}_

~Yeah, we'll work in pairs to battle wild and trained Pokémon. You can watch as we take on stronger Pokémon and we'll watch you battle weaker ones until you're able to take on stronger ones,~ Ken added proudly.

 _{That sounds like a pretty good plan,}_ Cerulean smiled.

They talked some more, Chase having some questions, grateful that the psychic could communicate through telepathy. It made it easier and hearing her indirectly confirm what Alex said when translating a Pokémon proved that she could understand them. While he wanted to apologize right away, he didn't think right now was the best time.

When it started getting late, they decided to go have dinner then head to bed right after.

Worried about Cerulean's rarity, Alex had her stay in her pokéball while they ate, promising to bring her something to eat in the room.

When it was time for bed, the kids climbed into their respective bunks. The Pokémon found different spots around the room to curl up.

Cerulean curled up on Alex's bed with Ken. Lance was on the floor at the foot of the bed. Ansen was in a basket he deemed nest worthy while Hana chose to sleep on Chase's bed.

Once morning came, they gathered outside behind the Pokémon Center. Alex felt a little more comfortable letting Cerulean out than keeping her cooped up in her ball all the time. It wouldn't be fair to her.

Nala had been let out to join them along with the rest of the Pokémon. The water type was introduced to Cerulean, the situation explained to her. The larger Pokémon was pleased to meet a new friend. They could tell she still felt hurt losing Nate and having someone join so soon, but at the same time, it was good for them. It would help them push forward, the psychic type Pokémon unique enough to not be viewed as a replacement for their timid friend.

While Alex and Chase sat and ate, talking, their moods seemingly improving, the Pokémon chose to sit and talk together some more.

 _{I'm curious; do any of you know how Alex is able to understand what you say?}_ Cerulean asked, glancing at their trainer. _{I mean, I know I can communicate telepathically, but if I couldn't, she'd still understand what I'd say, right?}_

~We don't really know how she's able to understand us,~ Lance answered. ~It happened a while back when most of us were in Viridian Forest.~

 _{Oh?}_

The Pokémon present, minus Ansen, took turns explaining what had happened. They mentioned the possible theory that the professor gave when examining her and Azure.

 _{That's interesting. I've never heard of anything like that happening before.}_

~Do you think anyone from your clowder would know?~ Hana asked.

 _{I can't really say…}_ Cerulean hummed.

They continued to talk, the friendlier members wanting to learn more about Cerulean and vice versa. No one was up for training at the moment. While they were starting to feel normal, it seemed too soon to go out and battle right now. Surprisingly, Ansen had refrained from making any complaints about it.

After nearly a week to relax and working up the confidence to head back out, Alex eventually talked with her team. She knew they couldn't put training off forever, not if they had plans to accomplish. They agreed and decided a time when they would resume, wanting to help Cerulean catch up to their level.

She, her team, Chase even, sat together, eating breakfast, discussing where they could go to train. They eventually settled on a couple of places they could try.

They would head north, past the bridge, Alex remembering Azure mentioning a cottage and the geologist living there. She figured if things went well, they could try visiting either sometime today or another day if it gets late.

Decision made, they headed out, crossing the bridge once more. They were near the same area where Nate had been caught.

It wasn't easy being here, the memories of the encounter still fresh, but Alex knew it was possibly the safest place to train. Cerulean knows the area, so would hopefully know some Pokémon to spar with. Once she's gotten used to battling and taking orders, they can try moving to a different location with stronger opponents.

Tossing her pokéballs in the air, Alex called everyone out.

Most of the Pokémon looked around awkwardly, recalling the location.

"I'm sorry, but this is one of the safer spots," the trainer explained.

~I know, it's still a little strange being back here is all,~ Ken commented, his ears and tail dipped down.

 _{I'm sorry if I'm bringing back any bad memories,}_ Cerulean apologized.

~It's not your fault,~ Hana reassured.

In an attempt to change the topic, Ansen made a noise, catching their attention, even Chase's despite lacking Alex's ability. ~So are we going to do this?~

Looking at the others, Alex gave him a nod before responding. "Yeah, you guys will split into groups of two. Ken, since we couldn't find any grass types, there's a good chance you'll be leading the whole battle."

~I will?~ the mouse asked worriedly.

"If Roku's Pokémon proves to be much stronger than we anticipate, I'll switch you with someone else. That's why I want everyone to train as hard as they can."

~I understand,~ Hana responded. ~So how are we grouping up?~

"I'd say you and Ken will pair up. Ansen and Nala will train together. Lance and Cerulean will train together. Is that okay with you guys?"

They nodded, agreeing with the plan, the Pokémon splitting up into different sections to train. They kept in Alex's field of vision, Chase staying with her as well.

Some hours passed when Cerulean had to fly back for a few minor injuries to be patched up. Lance followed close behind to ensure she wasn't attacked along the way.

 _{I didn't think it would have been **that** tough,} _Cerulean commented.

"That's why I want you guys to stay close so I can treat injuries like these," Alex explained. The Pokémon was trying not to wince from the stinging spray.

 _{I suppose that's true, so long as it does the job, right?}_ she joked as her trainer finished. Already starting to feel better, she was free to return to training. The first thing she did was dive headlong into a flock of Pidgey, scaring most of them away.

"She acts a lot like Ansen, only better mannered," the girl joked.

"Based on the stories you told me, it looks like it," Chase laughed.

~I _can_ hear you!~ Ansen shouted while pursuing several Bellsprout.

A few hours passed before everyone regrouped. Cerulean looked tired but happy with how much stronger she's feeling. Even Lance confirmed that she had indeed become a lot stronger than when she first started, taking tips he gave or watching how others battled.

Looking everyone over, seeing they were pretty tired, Alex made her decision. "We'll head back to the city to use the Pokémon Center. We can also get ourselves something to eat as well. How does that sound?"

~Sounds great!~ Hana cheered excitedly.

~Food sounds good,~ Ansen nodded.

The others made similar agreements, Alex smiling. "Okay, I'm going to put you in your balls. Be better than making you walk."

Most of the others agreed, allowing themselves to be returned one by one.

"Hey!" someone shouted suddenly. Alex and Chase jumped, turning to see a boy around Azure's age running their way. "Hey, you!"

Realizing Cerulean was still out of her ball, Alex scrambled to grab it and recall her, but the boy seemed to notice and sped up. Before he could reach her, Chase quickly stepped in between, the boy pouting at the interference.

"Is something the matter?" the older boy asked.

"I wanted to battle her, mostly that cat she has. I've never seen anything like it," the boy answered, trying to peek around. He saw the cat zip from his sight, landing on her trainer's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. My team's pretty tired right now. Maybe another time?" Alex offered.

"How do I know you'll return?" the boy whined.

"It wouldn't be fair…" Alex barely finished her sentence when a Rattata came out of nowhere. It tackled Cerulean off her shoulders, the psychic yelping in surprise from the attack. In an instant, her mind flashed back to the Machop taking Nate, her blood running cold.

"Yeah! We can battle!" the boy cheered, ignoring the girl's scared look. "Go get it, Rattata!"

"Stop it, she didn't agree!" Chase shouted.

"No way, we're battling!"

"Pika pi!" Ken had leaped into the rat, shoving it off his friend. "Pi pi pi, pikachu?"

"Mew mew, meeew," Cerulean responded.

She was either too dazed to use telepathy from the attack, or she was purposely _not_ using it because of the boy. If he was this eager to battle, if he knew she could essentially talk, he might demand or try to force Alex to trade.

"Mew!"

"Pi!" Ken grunted when the other rodent used Quick Attack, slamming into his side.

"Hey, get rid of your weird Pikachu. I don't want to battle it!" the boy huffed.

"I…" Alex could feel her heart racing, her mind replaying that horrible event over and over. "No. No. No. No…"

Chase ran over to her, grabbing her shoulders, seeing tears falling from her eyes. "Alex, snap out of it! Cerulean's fine, Ken's protecting her."

"What's wrong with her?" the boy pouted. "She's not a very good trainer if she's not giving orders."

The teen immediately turned on him with a glare. "Call your Pokémon off now!"

"No, I want to fight that cat!" the boy shouted, throwing a ball, releasing an Ekans. "If Rattata can't fight it, then Ekans will!"

Cerulean gave the snake a hiss as it slithered towards her quickly.

Chase panicked, knowing the psychic won't handle the attack in her state and Ken won't be able to hold off two Pokémon.

"Alex, you need to call someone else out!"

The girl seemed to snap out of it, her hand automatically grabbing a ball, throwing it, releasing Hana from inside. "Ken, use Thunder Shock! Hana, Confusion!"

~That's not a fair battle!~ the butterfly exclaimed when seeing what was happening.

The Ekans tried to retaliate with Poison Sting, but it barely did damage. Immediately, it was thrown away from the group with enough force to knock it out cold. Joining its side was the Rattata, small sparks dancing off its unconscious body.

Stomping the ground, the boy began fussing how the battle didn't go how he wanted, Chase becoming angrier as Alex tended to her Pokémon. He stormed up to the boy, glaring at him as he recalled his Pokémon.

"You should be lucky no one got hurt! She said her Pokémon were tired and you attacked her anyway. More importantly, you attacked her Pokémon while she had been on her _shoulder._ You could've hurt _both_ of them!"

"But I _didn't_ hurt her," the boy pouted, crossing his arms in a huff. "Still not fair, I should get to battle whatever I want…"

"Pokémon battles don't work that way! You could get your Pokémon hurt really badly doing that, or you could seriously hurt another trainer's Pokémon pulling crap like that."

"Whatever," the boy grumbled, stomping off.

Once the boy was gone, Chase turned, looking at Alex with worry.

"Thank you," she thanked quietly. Turning to her Pokémon, she gave them an apologetic look. "I'm sorry for freezing like that. I shouldn't have…"

~It's okay,~ Ken reassured.

"But I'm the trainer, I'm responsible for you!" Alex cried out. She fell to her knees, more tears springing to her eyes. "What if I can't do this? What if it happens again and I don't react quick enough? What if I freeze? What if…"

"Alex, calm down." Chase was down with her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You'll be okay, they'll be okay. Yes, you panicked, but it's understandable. _Anyone_ would have panicked after what we've been through, what _you've_ been through."

Wiping at her eyes, Alex looked away, doubt still showing, Chase giving her a comforting look. "Come on; let's head back to the Pokémon Center. I think we could all use a rest."

"Yeah…"

He stood up, holding his hand out to her, the girl accepting it. The Pokémon watched, relieved that they have Chase to help. Packing the rest of their things, they headed back to the city to rest. The following day, Alex was uncertain about training more, but her Pokémon insisted they, promising they would train harder to avoid a repeat.

Alex finally relented, grateful that training went without a hitch, repeating it for the next couple days. The girl took notice that the more Cerulean battled, the more she improved. She was moving faster to try and dodge fewer hits or angling her body right to take the softest blow before countering it.

Before long, they moved back towards the maze-like hedges, Alex nervous given this was where Nate had been killed. But reassurance from the others kept her going. Most of the trainers from that day were around, most having picnics or training. They were quick to notice her, eager to battle when she challenged them.

"Nice battle, kiddo," a hiker grinned as he recalled his Onix.

"Thank you," Alex smiled as she recalled Nala.

"Glad to see things are going better for you," he said, pulling something from his pocket. "I saw this on the ground near where it happened. Figured this was what they tried stealing."

Alex felt her eyes widened when recognizing the TM, gingerly accepting it.

"Th-thank you…" she whispered.

"Alex?" Chase said, hoping she's okay.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, the girl looking in his direction as the hiker had already left with a final wave.

"I…I'm fine," she smiled sadly.

 _{What is that?}_ Cerulean asked. She floated onto the girl's shoulder after hiding from the hiker, the coast finally clear.

"It's called a Technical Machine, or TM for short," Chase answered. He proceeded to explain in better detail about what they did, trying to make sure the Pokémon understood.

 _{Interesting, what kind is it?}_

"Seismic Toss, but I don't know if I'd use it…" Alex said, looking at the TM. "I was going to use this for Nate…"

 _{Oh… Sorry,}_ the psychic apologized, nuzzling the girl's cheek.

"Were you interested?" Chase asked.

 _{Yeah, I figured it would be nice to have another offensive attack than smacking Pokémon with my tail, or by kicking them,}_ the legend laughed nervously.

" _Do_ you want it? I mean, I know it was going to be Nate's, but I guess I shouldn't hoard it because of that… He probably would want me to use it for someone who could use it effectively…"

 _{If that's alright with you, I'll be sure to make the most of it,}_ Cerulean said with a comforting purr.

"Okay then," the girl nodded.

She explained how it worked, the Pokémon understanding as she was put back into her pokéball briefly as her trainer got things set up. After a few minutes, it was done, Cerulean learning how to utilize her muscles so she could perform Seismic Toss.

 _{I think I'll enjoy this,}_ the psychic grinned broadly. _{Thank you, Alex. I meant it when I said I'll make the most of it.}_

Alex couldn't help but smile. She was not only happy to hear her Pokémon being grateful but held her word as she practiced her new attack when the opportunity arose.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 10 - Badges 1 - Deaths 1**

 **Team:**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

 **Cerulean - Mew**

* * *

 **Home:**

 ** **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon****

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

* * *

 **Death(s):  
**

 **Nate - Abra**

* * *

 **I think _anyone_ would agree that if they lose someone, even if their time was short, it would be traumatic. Possibly made worse if the event was traumatizing, and I wanted to have that last on Alex at least. The Pokémon would deal with their own issues, but at the same time, they're somewhat more used to it compared to people, such as Ansen. But others who are more sensitive like Ken and Hana are more likely to react similarly to Alex, yet remain stronger when it comes to actually battling.**

 **Hopefully I did that well enough for others to get a sense at least.**

 **I would like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with some edits on this chapter.**

 **I** f **you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	22. Chapter 22

Some hours passed before the last trainer was finally beaten. When talking with her, they learned that the cottage wasn't far when asked about it.

"So we're not far," Alex smiled. She recalled everyone, mainly for Cerulean's safety.

They don't know how friendly the people were, though given how Azure made them sound, they sound really nice. But how they may react to a rare Pokémon like Cerulean could change the mood really fast.

They already dealt with that kid wanting to battle her just because she was something he never saw before. None of them wanted a repeat if they can help it. It was the same for Ken with how different he looks, though he doesn't gain as much attention as the legend did.

"I think I see the place," Chase pointed out as the silhouette of a large building came into view.

"How is _that_ considered a cottage?" Alex asked with a bewildered look.

"Don't know, but they must be really well off," he commented with a nervous laugh.

As they drew closer, finding that it resembled something closer to a mansion than some small cottage they originally thought. Reaching what they guessed was the front door; Chase reached out to ring the bell. Afterward, they waited patiently for any sign someone was home.

After a couple of minutes, the door opened, a lovely looking woman standing, dark green hair cascading down her back and over her shoulders.

"Oh, hello there," she greeted.

"Hello, Ma'am. My name's Alex and this is Chase. A friend of mine suggested that we should come here. He told us that the man living here told him about evolutionary stones like the moon stone."

"Oh, you mean my husband? I can fetch him if you'd like to come inside," she smiled. "If you have Pokémon, you can let them out to rest."

"Thank you, but one of them is _kind_ of big," Alex laughed nervously.

"What kind is it?"

"She's a Gyarados."

"Oh wow, I rarely see such a young child with one. They're very hard to tame from what I've heard."

"Same, but Nala's really sweet. She's never lost her temper. I mean, she's gotten mad, but never at me and she's never lost control where someone got badly hurt."

"That's wonderful to hear, she certainly sounds like a lovely Pokémon. We have a pool outside she could rest in."

"Thank you."

She guided them to the garden where she could release her Pokémon, doing so save for Cerulean. They had talked about it earlier, the Mew understanding.

After releasing her Pokémon, Alex told them to behave while they're visiting. Once certain they'll listen, she and Chase followed the woman back inside. They were barely two steps in when a small voice called out towards them, tiny feet running towards them.

"Mommy!" a little boy beamed when seeing "Do we have fwens?"

"We have guests, but they are friends with the boy that was here before," the woman answered as a little boy ran over. "This is my son, William."

"Hi! My name is Bill!" the boy beamed brightly.

He had the same green hair as his mother, even having the same curls, albeit much shorter. The boy was dressed in a cute little costume resembling an Eevee. They were possibly pajamas given his size. He appeared to be about four years old.

Kneeling down, Alex gave the boy a friendly smile, "Hi, Bill. My name's Alex. This is my friend, Chase."

"Hey there," the teen waved.

"William, why don't we get Daddy so he knows we have guests?"

"Yay, let's get Daddy!"

Alex was shown where she could call out her Pokémon, allowing them to roam, Nala relaxing in the aforementioned pool.

The kids sat and waited, a maid having popped in to bring refreshments.

"Thank you," the girl smiled as she accepted the tea.

Without warning, the pokéball containing Cerulean burst open, Alex almost falling off the sofa from the shock.

"Cerulean!" the girl nearly shrieked. "What are you doing out here?"

 _{Sorry, Alex, but…}_ the Mew started. _{I'm just not used to staying in a small space and when I smelled the food, I got hungry…}_

"Hungry or not, you shouldn't do that. What if it was dangerous?"

 _{Sorry…}_ Cerulean nodded, knowing her mistake.

Feeling bad how she looked, Alex handed her a biscuit. "I didn't mean to upset you."

 _{No, you're right, that was pretty careless. I should have thought more clearly whether to come out or not.}_

"Well, they do seem nice, so if you want to stay out, you can. If you feel nervous, you can go back in your ball and we'll leave."

 _{Are you sure?}_

"Yeah, it really isn't fair keeping you cooped in your ball so much. And from the few battles, you participated in, most of the trainers were calling you cute. They didn't know what you were or asked about you other than your name or typing." Alex paused to think before continuing. "I guess it couldn't hurt letting you out more unless it gets uncomfortable for any of us or people ask too many questions."

 _{That's true…}_ Cerulean hummed. She ate the biscuit, mindful not to make a mess. Once she was done, she floated around the room, looking at the different artifacts and pictures hanging on the walls. She stopped at a set of old stones shaped like tools. _{Why would people collect such strange things?}_

"So we can learn more about the world," a male voice answered. The Mew arched her back, a hiss escaping from being startled. He gave an apologetic laugh. "Sorry about that. My name's Benedict, Tiana told me we had young guests."

"Pwetty kitty," Bill awed when looking at Cerulean.

 _{Thanks,}_ she answered sheepishly, a blush showing through her thin fur.

She floated down as the child came closer. "Pet?"

 _{Go for it,}_ she laughed as she let him run his small hand through her fur.

"Remember to be gentle, okay, kiddo?" Benedict advised. The child made a noise to confirm he understood as he continued petting the Pokémon. "She's really good with children, how long have you had her?"

"Only a few days, but Cerulean's really smart," Alex answered.

"I can see that. I never saw a Pokémon like her before. Do make sure you take good care of her, okay?"

"I will, Sir."

"Tiana said something about your interest in evolutionary stones?"

"Yes, my friend, Azure, he told me he came here and suggested that we visit."

"I remember him; he seems like a good kid. How is he doing?"

"I…I can't really say. We kind of got into a fight, but he left before we could try to talk it out," Alex sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully, you two will be able to patch things up."

"Same."

"Not to be rude, but what kind of studies have you done with evolutionary stones?" Chase asked, hoping to divert the conversation to something else. "If that's okay, that is."

"I understand," the older man smiled.

He got up, gesturing for the two to follow, calling his son over, Cerulean following as the boy seemed to take a liking towards her.

He led them towards a large display case with an assortment of stones inside. Some were evolutionary stones, others being regular ones or appeared regular.

"As it sounds, I study rocks. I sometimes dabble in geography if I feel it would be of use, but I mainly focus on geology. I find it rather fascinating how simple pieces of rock can hold so much power as to induce an evolution on a Pokémon when in close proximity. I'm curious to learn more how they work as well as other stones I've collected for my research."

" _Other_ stones?"

He nodded, pulling a key ring from his pocket, selecting the necessary key to unlock the cabinet. Taking a couple of stones out, he held them out to the kids.

"From what I was told of them, this one is known as an everstone, the other an oval stone. They have unique properties similar to the stones we're familiar with but different at the same time."

"How so?" Chase asked as he held the oval stone, noting that it was shaped like an egg.

"What you're holding seems to be capable of evolving a Pokémon called Happiny, changing them into Chansey."

"Wait, are you _serious?_ I never heard of that before," the boy exclaimed.

"Neither had I until I began doing research in other regions and bought that stone. I would have tried acquiring a Happiny, but they aren't easy to find from what I was told. So I'll focus studying this stone for now until I _can_ get my hands on one to test it out."

"What about this one?" Alex asked.

"That one has the opposite effect of evolutionary stones. Instead of evolving Pokémon, it prevents them. If they have it on their body or in close enough proximity, it makes it nearly _impossible_ for them to evolve. I don't know how much it affects those traded or using stones, so it'll be interesting to do studies to see what may happen if it hasn't already elsewhere."

"That's weird," the girl commented.

"I suppose so, but it's fascinating no less," Benedict smiled as he took the stones back. He placed them in their proper cases; closing the door and locking it back up. "Given how unique these kinds of stones are, learning there are others that can do more than simply evolve a Pokémon, you can only _imagine_ how many are out there and what they could do. Then there begs the question, how it all started and why it affects some Pokémon and not others."

"That's true, the moment you think you know more about Pokémon, something new pops up," Chase commented, glancing at Cerulean.

"Exactly and the more regions that open up their borders to foreigners, the more we get to learn not only their customs but the Pokémon living there as well."

"But it's kind of neat when you think about it. Learning there are so many different species of Pokémon, some we may never have seen before due to another time or because they're from another region," Alex mused as she looked up at an old looking tapestry.

It had the emblems resembling the different noble families from that time. One of the emblems consisted of a Charizard, reminding her of Sienna.

"By the way, when you asked about evolutionary stones, you mentioned moon stones. Did you find any?"

"Yes, Azure told me that you helped him identify some moon stones he had. I think I might have found some myself."

"I'd be more than happy to look at them to verify," Benedict smiled. He led them back to the room they were in before. Pressing a buzzer, he called for someone to bring more refreshments. "Did you know there might be more Pokémon that evolve using a moon stone than what we currently know?"

"Really?" both kids responded.

"That's right," he nodded. He waited as Alex pulled out some stones from her bag, looking them over with delight. "It seems that you and Azure both share a talent at finding evolution stones."

"So they really _are_ moon stones?" Alex asked, the man nodding. "Wow, then if Lance wants to, I could evolve him."

"A Nidoking is a great Pokémon to raise. Just remember that it gains a secondary type when it does. Especially if you haven't fought Cerulean Gym yet, that is if you're planning on challenging it."

"I'll remember that."

"That's good," Benedict smiled, looking towards his son. "Bill, why don't you go and see if Blair wants to come down?"

Immediately, the child's dark eyes lit up, bouncing to his feet. "Okay!" he beamed, running off. "Bear-bear! We have fwens! Come see! Come see!"

"Blair?"

"My niece, she's been staying with us for a while."

"That's really nice of you," Alex smiled.

"Thank you, it's the least we could do," Benedict smiled sadly.

"Did something happen?" Chase asked worriedly. "If it's okay to ask that is."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt should she come down. She's stubborn, but she almost always crumbles when Bill begs her to do something with him," he chuckled softly, sipping his tea. A small frown formed not long after. "Blair was recently in an accident. For the past few months, she's been going through physical therapy and undergoing some surgeries to help her walk again."

"How long will it take her?" Alex asked, covering her mouth. Cerulean looked worried as well, having curled up by her trainer worriedly.

"I can't say for certain. But I know that it's going to take several years from what the doctor told us, though I hope it doesn't."

"Bill must have been really worried about her?"

Benedict nodded with a thin smile, "He adores her tremendously and constantly worries about her since the accident."

"I hope she'll get better soon," Alex said, seeing his smile brighten a little.

"So do I."

Within a few minutes, Bill returned with a triumphed grin. Behind him was a girl with hair the same color as his, even similar curls, albeit longer like his mother. She had the same eyes as the boy, but instead of pale skin, hers was darker, almost a tan.

She looked roughly Alex's age, though could be a year younger or older. She wore a simple red dress that went down to her ankles or looked it. She was sitting in a wheelchair, a maid pushing her. Her left leg was in a cast.

"Bear-bear, these are fwens!" Bill pointed out, "Alex has a pwetty kitty."

He ran over, surprisingly mindful as he climbed into his cousin's lap, a big smile on his face as her arms wrapped around him.

"It's nice to meet you," the girl nodded. "My name is Blair Sinclair."

"It's nice to meet you too," Alex smiled. "My name's Alex. And this is Cerulean."

"My name's Chase," the boy smiled.

 _{Hi there,}_ the psychic greeted, the girl's eyes widening.

"You can talk?"

"She's using telepathy," Benedict explained, "Cerulean's a psychic type, am I right?"

 _{That's right!}_

"That's interesting," Blair hummed in thought.

The talked some more, Benedict explaining in greater detail about different evolutionary stones he's learned and what Pokémon are affected.

There were apparently some species that could evolve through multiple means like Gloom and Poliwhirl, but the stones they required were hard to find and use. As a result, such stones were very expensive.

Eventually going outside, the family had been curious about the kind of Pokémon Alex has been raising than solely hearing about them.

"A very interesting group you've gotten," Benedict chuckled as he watched Lance and Ken play, chasing one another in a game of tag.

"Play!" Bill nearly squealed as he ran over.

The Pokémon perked up hearing him, allowing the child to join their games when Alex told them it was fine.

Ansen kept his distance, not interested playing around, itching to start training again.

Nala watched with a protective look, amazed to see such a tiny creature, having gotten used to seeing people Alex's age or adults.

Cerulean flew up to her, the two sharing a conversation.

~I never knew they could be so tiny,~ Nala mused.

 _{Yeah, children can start off pretty tiny. A lot like ourselves when we're first born,}_ Cerulean laughed, the larger Pokémon nodding.

~You've seen other children?~

 _{Not up close, but yeah. Some can end up being small enough where they can't walk on their own. They need to be carried or pushed in a cart designed just for them.}_

~I never knew that. So they're really frail?~

 _{Yeah, but doesn't mean they won't grow stronger.}_

~Like us!~

A few hours passed, the sun starting to drop in the sky, Alex and Chase knowing it'll likely be night by the time they return to the Pokémon Center.

"Why don't you stay the night?" Tiana offered, her husband having to agree. "It wouldn't be safe to head back."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked.

"We've got plenty of space, so it's no trouble," she beamed brightly.

"We should at least call the Pokémon Center. Some of our things are still there…" Chase had started.

"That's fine, I'm sure the nurse will either move your stuff to a safe room or she'll keep it free if there aren't a lot of trainers," Benedict said with a chuckle. "I'll show you where the phone is so you can call Nurse Joy."

"Thank you," the kids grinned as they followed him.

The Pokémon stayed outside to relax, though the smaller ones were allowed to come in at any point. The only ones to really take up the offer were Cerulean and Ken, following their trainer inside. The rest chose to stay outside, partially to keep Nala company. Ansen wanted to do late night training near the property.

Afterward, they were shown their own room so they can clean up before dinner, allowing the two to change if they wished.

While they ate dinner, the family talked with Alex some more, learning about her adventures so far. She left out Team Rocket, mostly not to worry them or upset Bill.

The small boy was currently playing with his food, thankfully eating despite the mess he was making. He was pretending to be some ferocious creature, his dinner various prey he was hunting. Cerulean encouraged it with _hunting_ tips so he would be able to catch his prey.

His parents were amused by this, not upset with their son fooling around or the cat encouraging his games.

"You're planning to challenge Roku soon?" Benedict asked casually.

"That's right. We've been training for a while, focusing on Ken mostly. Since he uses water types, he's perfect to take the gym on. But I wanted to make the others stronger in case Ken couldn't keep up," Alex answered, giving her Pokémon a smile.

"That's very smart of you."

"Thank you… I just wanted to try and keep everyone safe so our journey can remain fun," she explained with a trembling smile.

Seemingly understanding her tone, he gave her a comforting smile. "That's very true. A journey can't be enjoyable without taking the right precautions. But be sure not to overdo it or you'll find yourself and your Pokémon bored."

"I'll be sure to remember that. But I'm sure Ansen would be sure to remind me if that did start to happen," she joked.

"Hey, Blair, when you're better, do you plan on becoming a trainer?" Chase asked.

"I hope so," she answered. She was mostly poking her food, hardly taking any bites. When she did, it was often when Bill started giving her a concerned look in between playing his games.

"Have you thought about what you want as a starter?"

"I don't really know or care. I guess as long as I'm able to walk, I'll be happy whatever I get," she said with an embarrassed smile. "Silly, I know…"

"I don't think so. I wasn't sure what I might start with. I had trouble choosing between Charmander and Bulbasaur until I met Sienna. And Azure wasn't sure if he wanted Charmander or Squirtle before he saw him."

"She's right, no one really knows," Chase added. "I never decided if I wanted a traditional starter or something else. It wasn't until I turned ten and was given Voltorb and Koga later gave me Grimer and Koffing."

Blair's eyes widened in surprise hearing this, adding some comfort that she hadn't been the only one to be unsure.

As they neared the end of dinner, dessert having been delivered, they talked some more, mostly about unique Pokémon moves.

"Alex, by any chance, have you heard of this move called Cut?" Benedict asked, drawing the girl's curiosity.

"No, I haven't, what is it?"

"A rather useful move. It supposedly helps strengthen parts of the body, namely claws or the blades on a Scyther. It's a great move not only for offense, but can help cut through obstacles, mostly thorns, and thick foliage. It's a lot safer than trying to do it yourself."

"Really?" Alex awed at the thought. "Where can I go to teach my Pokémon?

The man nodded before answering, "I only asked because I heard of a captain who developed it."

"A captain?" Alex blinked.

"Yes, I heard about him after I had been invited to board his cruise ship, the S.S. Anne."

"I heard of that, it's a luxury cruise ship that sails once a year," Chase commented.

"That's right."

"But he must be pretty busy, I doubt I could talk with him, let alone board to ask," Alex laughed nervously.

Benedict thought about the dilemma before an idea came to mind. "You know, we were given some extra tickets. I had asked some family and a few friends, but they're too busy to come by to join us. If you'd like, you're welcome to take them than letting them go to waste."

"But we hardly know each other," Alex exclaimed. "I mean, it's very generous, but it seems unfair to take them if we're not planning to sail…"

"That may be true, but as you said, you wouldn't be able to board without a ticket. I read in the packets we were given that he would be holding classes, but only for those who have tickets. You can also use this time to relax, your Pokémon as well. I'm sure you could use it after such an adventure."

"I still don't know…" Alex whispered, still uncertain. She looked to Chase who shared the same expression as her. Even the Pokémon looked uncertain.

"You don't have to decide right away," Benedict reassured. "I figured it would be nice and it's also been rare for Blair meet kids her age. It would be nice for her to spend time with others and I don't know how many children will be onboard."

"Uncle Benedict!" Blair blushed.

"Bear-bear needs more fwens!" Bill giggled much to his cousin's embarrassment.

"He's right," his father teased.

"Don't encourage him!"

Alex and Chase could hardly suppress their giggles at how relaxed things became while uncle and niece bantered, the youngest occasionally chiming in.

Deciding to ignore them, Tiana turned to the pair. "It would really be nice if you could join us for a while. You're both very kind and your Pokémon are lovely. I'm sure you would all have a lot of fun and meet all sorts of people and Pokémon. You might even meet new species of Pokémon from other regions."

"Really?"

"The S.S. Anne is a very popular cruise ship. Since it sails the world, it picks up passengers all over between stops. They set up several arenas in the lower decks to host battles, machines trainers can use to trade Pokémon with one another. There's also plenty of food for people and Pokémon alike and classes like dancing or singing." As she said the last part, her eyes seemed to sparkle in pure delight. The rest of her family had stopped their bantering, her husband almost snickering at her speech.

"Before we married, Tiana used to be a kimono dancer in Johto at a city called Ecruteak," he explained, ignoring the glares he got from his niece still.

"Wow, that's so cool. You must have worn a lot of gorgeous outfits," Alex awed.

"I did. I only stopped when I moved here and later had William. Maybe when he's a little older, I might get back into it or start classes of my own," she giggled.

"Mommy dances pwetty!" the child giggled, her mother beaming at his compliment.

They talked some more, the adults sharing the times they've taken a cruise on it or similar cruise liners. They finally stopped when Bill let out a yawn, signaling it was time for bed. His mother gathered him up to get him cleaned ready for bed as well as help Blair.

Alex and Chase were shown extra bathrooms so they could clean up and change, their clothes were taken to be washed.

"They're really nice to invite us even though we're practically strangers," Alex commented. Ken and Cerulean were in the bathroom with her, casually relaxing in the warm tub water with her. "But I don't know if I still want to go. Those tickets must be expensive, gift or not, it seems like a waste to accept them and not stay…"

 _{Maybe, but we **are** on a journey to challenge the gyms and get stronger,}_ Cerulean stated. _{But while it got a little crazy, I think they want you and Chase to go for their niece.}_

~You think so?~ Ken wondered.

 _{Well, with that thing on her leg, it must make it hard to explore and meet people. It might even be harder to talk with them without being stared at or pestered about it. We don't know when it was the last time she really got to talk to others who didn't stare, let alone those Alex's age?}_

"That makes sense. I would be pretty self-conscious if I had to wear a cast, especially if I had to wear it for a long time. Maybe even feel worse if I was old enough to be a trainer, but didn't have any Pokémon."

The psychic nodded before dunking herself in the water, popping out shortly after to shake excess water off. She used her tiny paws to rub into her fur, getting any dirt and grime out, letting her coat shine a little brighter. Ken did the same, his fur looking cleaner as well.

 _{By the way Alex, when do you think we'll be ready to face the gym?}_

"To be honest, I think we might be ready now. But…"

The cat floated up to her, nuzzling, _{Still recovering losing Nate, right?}_

"Yeah, I just don't want anyone to get seriously hurt."

~I'm sure we'll be okay. The gym leader is a really nice guy, so I'm sure he'd hold back if he felt we were in danger,~ Ken reassured.

"Yeah, you're right. Then tomorrow, we'll do some last minute training on our way back to Cerulean City, then ask Roku for a battle."

* * *

 **This was an interesting chapter for those who remember when I first wrote Bill in.**

 **Since I'm trying to make this sort of a prequel to the anime, obviously Bill would be a lot younger and just from my own observation, he would likely be very young when Alex and Chase are around. But I wanted to keep it relatively canon to the anime, so I had to think just how young to make Bill so he would have no reason to mention having met rare Pokemon like Mew or a shiny Pikachu.**

 **Then the idea hit me. Make him young enough where he isn't likely to remember! It might seem like a silly thought, possibly a cheap idea, but it's better than having him keep it a secret. I get the feeling he would have loved to share his experience encountering such rare Pokemon with someone like Ash, especially with Ash's bond with his Pikachu similar to Alex's with Ken.**

 **As for his parents, due to Bill's appearance, I would think they're wealthy and what likely had led them to such wealth. And with no knowledge of his parents in the anime, I would think it's safe to design them however I like it. The mom I thought would be fun to keep her a former kimono dancer since it's a minor detail and I didn't want her to be solely a rich housewife.**

 **And Blair is another OC who I was going to use for a separate Nuzlocke, but I don't know if I'm going to actually make it at this point. So I wanted to at least give her a little spotlight here.**

 **I would like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with edits on this chapter.**

 **I** f **you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	23. Chapter 23

When morning came, Alex kept her word as she told Chase and later Benedict and his wife of her intentions. The adults offered to not only have them driven back but informed them that would be ready to drive to Vermilion City in a couple of days if they didn't mind the wait.

Thanking them, they were driven back, dropped off near the Pokémon Center should Alex need to pick anything up.

Once they were alone, the limo driving away, Alex decided to make one last trip to the store to stock up on supplies. Afterward, they quickly found themselves standing outside the gym, the girl feeling nervous going inside.

"You'll do fine," Chase reassured.

"I really hope so," Alex whispered. With gentle nudging, they walked in.

Looking around, they could see different water Pokémon swimming in the aquariums they passed. They all had friendly faces, watching some playfully chasing one another or having friendly spars.

"This place looks so cool!" the girl nearly squealed, her fear disappearing as she looked at the Pokémon. "There's so many!"

"Tell me about it," the boy laughed as they watched a couple of Krabby skuttling on the ground, clipping their claws in what looked like a friendly manner. "They're really friendly. Guess it shows how they're treated."

The girl nodded, listening to some of the muffled conversations the Pokémon had in the aquariums, the glass blocking out most of the sound.

She would have had some of her Pokemon out but decided to keep them in their balls. It would make it easier to explore without one of them getting distracted and end up lost in the gym or running into trouble.

"Hi there," Kasumi greeted when spotting the pair. "Are you're finally ready, Alex?"

"Yeah, is Roku around?"

"He's finishing up with a class. He should be ready in another ten minutes."

"That's okay, I don't mind waiting."

The woman nodded as she pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Honey, Alex is here for her battle whenever you're set."

 **"That's great to hear. I'll let you know when I'm set,"** her husband's voice answered from the device.

"Alright," the woman answered as she put it in her pocket. "I can show you two around a bit while we wait."

"That would be nice," Alex smiled.

"You've got a lot of water Pokémon here. Guess that shouldn't be a surprise, huh?" Chase laughed.

"It helps whenever we get a lot of trainers coming to challenge Roku. With the city's location, he often gets challengers from all directions, so he wants to keep plenty of Pokémon at the ready. Any that don't fight have other jobs."

"They do?"

Kasumi nodded, "Some act as security for potential break-ins or those that can safely come out of the water will come get us if there was a problem with one of the Pokémon."

"That explains how they seem to get along so well," Alex beamed.

"They need to if they're living here," the woman giggled. "Many have lived here when they're young, so they know the gym really well and will show anyone new around."

She showed them some of the Pokémon they took care of, some being new and will need training before participating in official gym battles. Others were retired from battles due to age or are currently nursing young. The mothers would return to battling once their young were old enough.

She also explained how some will help in the swimming classes, cuter and friendlier ones paired with children. For older swimmers, they would get whatever may work for them, usually to help them train for competitions.

"Hey, I have an idea," Kasumi chirped happily. "How about we have a practice battle?"

"Practice battle?"

Nodding, the older woman continued, "Sure, it would help your Pokémon loosen up before facing Roku's team. It might help relax you as well."

Alex felt her face heat up, knowing despite enjoying herself exploring the gym, she was still really nervous.

"Okay," she agreed, wanting to be at her best facing the gym leader.

Beaming, Kasumi led them to a small battle arena, mentioning it was where gym battles are held. It was a large pool with white, disk-like platforms floating on the surface.

"Some gyms utilize aspects of their Pokémon's type to not only work in their favor but teach challengers to think on their feet. There may be times you might face a Pokémon while crossing large bodies of water, so you'll need to think of a strategy to safely battle them without endangering yourself or your Pokémon."

"That's really cool," Alex awed as she decided who to use.

Chase sat in on a bench, holding her backpack.

After a moment's thought, she threw a ball, Ken finding himself standing on one of the platforms. He looked around, puzzled by what was happening.

"This is a practice battle," the girl called out.

~Okay!~ he responded as Kasumi called out a Horsea.

"Going for type advantage? Just know it may not always help," the young woman stated.

"I know, but I think Ken would be the best choice. We trained really hard as did everyone else so we'll be able to win."

Kasumi smiled before focusing on her Pokémon. "Horsea, dive underwater!"

"Horsea!"

The seahorse Pokémon obeyed, diving deep enough so its silhouette couldn't be seen by its opponent or his trainer.

"Use Skull Bash!"

"Dodge it!"

The yellow mouse did so as the other leaped out of the water, attempting to make its attack. Before it could dive back in, Alex gave the order for Thunder Shock, the mouse happy to do so as he released a good jolt of electricity. Surprisingly, the water type kept going when landing back in the water, albeit panted.

"Try to keep your distance and lower its defense with Leer!"

"Ken, don't let it affect you!"

Alex had to think of a way to bring it closer. While she could have Ken use his Thunder Shock on the water, she couldn't be certain if it would be strong enough to knock it out. There was a lot of water, so the voltage could weaken or worse, become _too_ strong and do more damage than intended.

"Ken, use Quick Attack to get closer when you see it, then use Thunder Shock!"

~Right!~ the Pokémon nodded as he jumped from platform to platform.

He kept his eyes peeled on the water, looking for signs of the other, making sure he didn't lose momentum without exerting himself.

"Now!"

Ken unleashed another jolt of electricity when the water type poked its head out of the water before its trainer could warn it. The attack struck, knocking the seahorse out cold.

"Wow, that was an interesting strategy," Kasumi laughed nervously as she recalled her Pokémon. "Using Quick Attack to build up speed than wasting time using Agility was certainly a different approach."

"To be honest, he doesn't know it. If he had, I might have used that for the same result," Alex laughed as Ken ran back, hopping into her arms.

"That's fine, it still works and shows you can think on your feet," she laughed. "But be sure to keep it in mind in case you do encounter future opponents with similar Pokémon like mine or Roku's. They may even try similar strategies like I did and whatever strategy he's got planned as well. And not all may be water types; they could similarly speedy and evasive Pokémon like Abra and Gastly."

"R-right…" Alex nodded. Her mind flashed back to Nate when Abra was mentioned, Kasumi paling when realizing what she said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…"

"I-it's fine… It's going to take me some time to get used to Nate not being around."

"Alex…" Chase whispered, watching as she hugged Ken close.

"Are you sure you'll be okay? I can call Roku to give you a little more time."

"I think I'll be fine… I don't want to put this off anymore. Roku's been really patient and so have my Pokémon," she said, giving her Pikachu a smile. "Isn't that right?"

~I don't mind waiting more, but Ansen might have issues,~ the electric mouse half-joked, causing his trainer to giggle.

"Yeah," she smiled, hugging him. "How do you feel though?"

~I'm good, the battle was really fun,~ he answered, nuzzling his trainer's cheek.

Kasumi gave the girl a concerned look, but seeing how she began to relax, she let herself relax. It pained her to see someone so young suffer, but it did look like she had good Pokémon supporting her. Plus she had that boy, Chase, to support her as well when they aren't enough.

A few minutes later, the woman heard her walkie-talkie crackle, her husband informing her he was on his way to the arena. She told him they were already there waiting for him.

Within the next couple minutes, the gym leader came in, a large grin on his face when seeing Alex.

"I'm happy that you came."

"You can thank my Pokémon. They wanted to keep going. They helped me decide what I wanted to do," Alex smiled.

"Pokémon are smart creatures, so I'm not surprised," Roku laughed. "Do you need a chance to get ready?"

"Kasumi and I had a battle not long ago, but we're ready."

"Pika!"

"Alright then, then let's get ourselves in place."

Both trainers went to their respective places, Kasumi standing on the side to act as referee for the battle.

"Let's go, Marina!" Roku shouted as he threw a ball.

A Vaporeon was released, the aquatic Pokémon landing perfectly onto the platform, tail swishing in anticipation.

"Whoa…" Alex awed at the beautiful Pokémon. She turned to Ken, seeing him nod as he hopped onto the platform. Their opponent was already jumping into the water. "Just because it's pretty doesn't mean we'll hold back!"

"Good to hear," the man chuckled. "Marina, get underwater and start with Acid Armor!"

"Vay!" it shouted. With a glow from its body, it began to melt, camouflaging itself in the water. While the attack was different, the strategy looked the same as the battle with Kasumi.

"Use Quick Attack like before!"

"Pi!"

Roku watched with interest as the golden mouse quickly hopped from one platform to another, dodging several attacks when Marina came to the surface. However, when it tried using Thunder Shock, they missed due to the Pokémon's speed.

Alex was surprised but quickly began to think of what to do now. Thinking of something, she knew it was a risk. "Ken! Get as close as you can!"

The electric type nodded as he waited for the water type to pop back out, making a run for it when it came up to the surface. Once close enough, getting hit with Tackle, he released a good jolt of electricity. It let out a cry as it leaped away, both falling into the water.

"Ken!"

~I'm okay!~

The Pikachu swam out of the water in time to avoid another Tackle from his opponent, surprising it with another Thunder Shock. However, instead of firing it from the front, he used his tail, letting it get grazed by the speedy Pokémon than using his whole body.

"Marina's out!" Kasumi called out.

"Great work," Roku smiled as he recalled his partner. Putting it away, he grabbed his next Pokémon. "Come out, Atlas!"

The next one looked like a Starmie, but it was a different color. It's normally violet body a sapphire blue, the gem blue as well.

"Ken, are you up for this?" Alex asked, ready to recall him if needed.

~Yeah, I'm doing good,~ he responded, giving her a reassuring look.

Trusting her partner, she gave her first order, "Ken, use Thunder Wave!"

"Smart girl," Roku grinned, "Atlas, use Tackle!"

The non-damaging move would hit regardless, so if he can weaken the mouse some, it may give them an edge. Given how quickly Marina fell, he had a feeling Atlas will lose if not against the Pikachu, another of Alex's Pokémon. But that doesn't mean he'll give up _that_ easily!

"Cha!" Ken grunted when the larger Pokémon crashed into him.

He barely held onto the edge of the platform, not wanting to fall back into the water. He used the attack to his advantage, blue electricity shooting out of his body, leaving the other with some paralysis. It'll slow it down, seeing the effects already.

"Great job, Ken! Use Thunder Shock before Atlas can retaliate!" Alex ordered.

The mouse nodded as he unleashed a strong electric attack, the Pokémon let out a startled cry as it tried to move. But it couldn't due to the paralysis.

"Atlas, try to loosen up in the water!" Roku ordered.

The Pokémon did so as another Thunder Shock was ordered, shocking it again. Realizing his Pokémon won't win at this point, he recalled it, surprising Alex.

"I know when I'm beaten. Ken's a tough Pikachu. Tougher than most I've seen. You took a lot of effort to train him than relying solely on his type advantage."

"R-really?" the girl blinked as the gym leader gestured they meet on the side. Ken hopped back to his trainer, climbing to her arms to warm up.

"That's right. Most trainers who come to challenge me early on usually rely on type advantage than taking time to train. So any electric or grass types they bring in would get beaten by my Pokémon. Their attacks aren't strong enough to cause enough damage to beat one, let alone _two_ of my Pokémon."

Alex listened, relieved to hear that their efforts training for this had paid off.

Fishing through his pockets, the gym leader pulled out a blue, tear-shaped badge and a TM, handing both over.

"This is the Cascade Badge, you earned it along with this," Roku grinned. "It's called Bubble Beam. I was going to use it in our battle, but thanks to that Thunder Wave, it threw a wrench in that plan."

Alex barely held back a giggle, reminding her of her battle with Flint not having had time to let his Onix use its signature attack.

"Thank you."

"You earned these and I'm sure you'll find a good Pokémon to teach Bubble Beam to. I suggest a water type, but others could work. Just know that the attack may not be as strong if you decide to go that route."

"I'll keep it in mind. Again, thank you."

"You did great, Alex. I'm sure you'll continue to excel with the other gyms," Roku reassured. "Bet you'll do really well in the Indigo Conference."

"I hope so," she grinned.

Gathering their things, the four quickly headed outside so the Pokémon could heal up. As they waited, they talked a bit before the adults had to leave. Kasumi had a class to teach soon, so needed to get back. For Roku, he had a few other gym battles scheduled, grateful Alex showed up when she had to squeeze her in.

"Take care you two," Kasumi waved as they headed back to the gym.

"Same!" Alex waved back.

"Good luck with your challengers!" Chase called back as he waved.

Now that they were alone, the two sat together and talked about the gym and their plans heading for the next city. Alex admired her badge, showing the others when they went outside. They were happy to see they not only won, but Ken handled it so well.

Wanting to show the others back home, Alex headed inside, though not before talking with her Pokémon. Given what the next gym may hold, she wanted to know who wanted to stay or switch with Sienna if she wanted to come back.

The others weren't sure, none really wanted to leave, at least not until it came time to actually switch, Chase adding that there was a tunnel that had ground types. Alex knew that they likely were thinking of doing the same tactic as before. They would try catching some Pokémon first before switching anyone out if at all.

She called for Cerulean, asking her to go into her ball so she could introduce her to her mother and the rest of her Pokémon. The Pokémon agreed, wanting to meet them as well.

 **"Hello, honey, is everything okay?"** her mom greeted when she picked up.

"Yup, I just won my second badge," Alex beamed, showing it to her. "I wanted to show Sienna and the others."

 **"That's wonderful! It must have been a tough battle."**

"A little bit. I got lucky when I had Ken use Thunder Wave. If I hadn't, the battle might have gotten a lot tougher."

 **"Sounds like it. The gym leader must have had strong Pokémon."**

"They look it, plus his Starmie was a different color. I think it was a shiny like Ken."

 **"Really?"**

Alex nodded, "Yeah, Roku's Starmie had a blue body a blue gem."

 **"That's really amazing. But you didn't let its pretty looks distract you though."**

"I didn't, but Roku _did_ forfeit the match since Atlas was affected by Thunder Wave. It couldn't attack at _all._ It's fine now after we went to the Pokémon Center."

 **"That's good to hear. Are you planning on leaving soon?"**

"Yeah, we'll be going to Vermilion City soon."

 **"I've heard it has some gorgeous sunsets being a coastal city."**

"Oh wow, that will be really nice to see. Also, Chase and I were invited to hang out on a cruise ship for a bit. It's called the S.S. Anne."

 **"That's pretty expensive…"**

"I know, but the family's really nice. We think that they mostly wanted us to be with them mostly for their kids, their niece to be exact."

 **"Oh? What were they like?"**

"Benedict and Tiana are really nice. Benedict is a geologist, studying evolution stones. He even found some new stones to assist, even block evolution."

 **"There's such a stone?"**

"Yeah, I don't know how it works, but it sounds really cool! Oh, and Tiana was a kimono dancer from Johto."

 **"Isn't that the same region Sam's student is from?"**

"Yeah, Nicholas came from there," she nodded. "Oh, and Bill's really sweet. I think he's about three or four, I didn't ask. While we were there, he and Cerulean played a lot. She even played with him when we were invited to stay for dinner. It was really cute."

 **"Cerulean?"**

"She's a Pokémon I caught not long ago. She's really nice and is becoming really strong. I'll show you when the others are here," Alex answered.

 **"Alright then,"** her mother smiled. **"What about this girl?"**

"Blair's about my age."

 **"Is she a trainer?"**

"No, she got hurt and can't be a trainer until she's better."

 **"I'm sorry to hear that. Send her my regards."**

"I'll be sure to do that."

 **"Before I get your Pokémon, are you doing better?"**

"Yeah… I mean, I still miss Nate, that won't go away." Her mom nodded, having to agree. "But I'm going to try and keep going. My Pokémon want to keep going and I want to keep going. Just hearing their confirmation though, it gave me the confidence not to give up," Alex explained with a hint of sadness but gave her a determined look.

 **"I'm glad to hear that, honey,"** her mother smiled. She was relieved to see her daughter is doing better, having been worried about her since her Pokémon's death.

"Thanks," Alex smiled before it faded. "Umm…by any chance did you hear anything about Azure?"

 **"No, not yet, but his parents are waiting to hear back from him. Hopefully, you two will patch things up."**

"Same…"

 **"Alright, I'll go get Sienna and the others. Are you going to take Sienna back?"**

"If she wants to, if not I'll train the others a little more. I might switch Nala out for her though, maybe Hana or Ansen if he's okay with it. Azure told me that it's supposed to be an electric gym in Vermilion City."

 **"That sounds like a good idea."**

With that, Alex's mother got up and left momentarily. She fetched the Pokémon, having them quickly appear on the screen.

"Hi, everyone," Alex greeted.

 **~Hi, Alex, is everything okay?~** Sienna greeted, seeing her trainer looking better than the last time they spoke.

"Yeah, we won the Cascade Badge," she beamed, showing them the badge.

 **~It's so pretty,~** Lizzy awed.

 **~So they act as a symbol to enter tougher competitions?~** Max asked.

"Kind of… It's to show proof to enter a competition called the Indigo Conference. Only trainers who managed to collect _these_ and pass any other tests they might have before trainers are allowed to enter."

 **~So only the strong are allowed?~** Lizzy asked.

"Pretty much, but trainers aren't limited to just what they have on their team when entering. They can switch around as needed. The only time they can't is when the winner is allowed to face the Elite Four."

 **~Oh, that sounds fun!~**

"I guess so," Alex laughed. "Also, I wanted to introduce you guys to someone. I would have introduced you sooner, but I kind of forgot." She said this with a nervous laugh as she fished out the ball, calling the Mew out. "I want you guys to meet Cerulean."

 _{ It's great to meet you,}_ the psychic greeted.

 **"She can talk?"** her mother asked.

Alex nodded, "She's a psychic type."

 **"That's really amazing, she looks really cute."**

 _{Thank you,}_ the Pokémon purred as she settled herself on her trainer's shoulders.

 **"What kind of Pokémon is she?"**

 _{I'm a Mew,}_ Cerulean answered.

 **"I thought they were a myth?"** the woman blinked. She wasn't sure if she heard that correctly or not, seeing the confident looks on their faces.

The Pokémon gave her a wide grin, _{That's because our kind knows how to hide. Well, **most** of us at least. I was never really into that. I would hide to avoid trouble, but I also liked watching trainers. And after recent events, I decided to ask Alex if I could join so I could get stronger.}_

 **~So you're planning on sticking with the team?~** Sienna asked.

 _{I plan to unless Alex says otherwise.}_

"Speaking _of_ the team, Sienna, do you mind staying home a little longer? I talked with the others and they want to stay, at least until we've reached Vermilion City. Supposedly there's a place to get Pokémon called Diglett, so we might try to get one. Afterward, Hana and maybe Nala might switch with you and anyone else we get."

 **~That's fine, it's been fun hanging around here,~** Sienna laughed. **~It'll also give me a chance to greet anyone new and explain things.~**

"Are you sure?"

 **~I am, it's good to switch us around as needed.~**

"Alright."

Talking some more, Alex eventually hung up, wanting to call Benedict to let him know she's done with the gym and should be ready when they are.

 **"Congrats winning,"** the geologist smiled proudly. **"We're just about done packing so we'll pick you up tomorrow morning."**

"Okay then, we'll make sure to be ready by then."

* * *

 **Something I want to say before going into details about this chapter. There's a chance my weekly uploads might get distorted, meaning I could end up running late for more than just a single day. Between some issues going on my beta reader's end hindering him, I've recently gotten a job. Until things with it have balanced out so I'm not worn out after each shift, there's a chance I might end up skipping a week posting a chapter.**

 **However, I'll try to keep up as best I can, but if at some point I end up posting late, that's the reason.**

* * *

 **Now onto the discussion of the chapter itself:**

 **Ken essentially swept the gym like it was nothing. Of course, that could have changed had I _NOT_ used Thunder Wave against Starmie. At least I had the others trained in case that tactic failed. If it had, I would likely have used Nala since she would have type resistance.**

 **I also had fun playing around with Roku's personality some more for the battle since in the original as some may recall was omitted. It was merely hinted of Ken's badassery, but not shown. This time, I made up for it and I think it went ra** ther well.

 **I would like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with edits on this chapter.**

 **I** f **you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	24. Chapter 24

Alex and Chase took the time to get things packed and ensure they would be ready for tomorrow. They even set the alarm stored in their room so they would wake up in time.

Feeling fidgety, Alex decided to take some time to wander around the city. She left her Pokémon with Chase, wanting some time to herself. She wanted to think about the battle, about everything that's happened so far.

Since leaving Pallet Town, so much has happened. She encounters a shiny Pokémon then encounters a mythical Pokémon. She's had run-ins with various people, good and bad alike. She's met so many amazing Pokémon, the best ones with her and at home. She missed having Sienna and hopes that she'll have her back in the team soon.

Eventually, she came upon a sign that told her she was in Route 5, though wasn't very far in. She could still see the city behind her. Not long after, she found a friendly Bellsprout greeting her shortly thereafter.

The two of them talked, other Pokémon joining their conversation when seeing she wasn't a threat. After a while, when it began to get late and most of the other Pokémon had left, Alex asked if he wanted to join. The Bellsprout barely took a moment to think before agreeing, having taken a liking to her and was interested to meet the rest of her team and the possibility of exploring.

Smiling, Alex asked if he liked the name Vexas, the grass type agreeing before he was caught. As she watched the ball dissolve and teleport back home, she hoped he'll be happy with the others. Once the last particle was gone and she was alone, she headed back.

The following morning, they were up and ready, the limo picking them up.

They sat in the fancy car with Benedict and the rest of his family. Alex's Pokémon save for Ken and Cerulean were in their pokéballs. They played games with Bill while he sat securely in his car seat, eyes sparkling with joy at seeing his furry friends again.

To help pass time, the teenagers talked, the adults sharing their own conversation, rarely interjecting.

"Have you ever been on a ship before?" Alex asked.

"A couple times, but I don't remember much. I was pretty little," Blair answered.

"So what do you hope to see while on the S.S. Anne, there's supposed to be a lot of stuff on it from what I've heard," Chase added.

"I'm not really sure; it'll be my first time on a ship like it. It took some convincing with my parents to let me go given my situation."

"Yeah, but I'm sure it'll still be a lot of fun. And if you're going on a cruise ship, that must mean you're getting better," Alex pointed out happily.

"I suppose you're right. But my primary doctor will also be onboard, so I'm sure any therapy and exams I need will be done during this trip."

"You'll get better in no time," Chase reassured.

"I certainly hope so…" Blair whispered, giving Bill a small smile. "I'd love to travel and catch lots of Pokémon to bring home and show Bill. He loves them so much."

"I noticed, you really care about him," Alex said, seeing the toddler managing to show her Pokémon how to play patty cake.

"He's more like a little brother than being my cousin. He's not like most little kids; he's extremely bright when it comes to Pokémon."

"I bet he'll be a great trainer when he's older," the boy stated proudly.

"Me to," Blair laughed. "If I may ask, what do you guys plan on doing when you've beaten the Vermilion Gym?"

"I don't really know, I guess it'll depend on how the roads are. If Saffron City's still blocked off, we'll have to go around some other path," Alex answered after thinking about it.

"What about you Chase, are you planning on catching any Pokémon?"

"I don't really know, it seems a little soon," he answered. He was mindful to choose his words, more not to upset Bill or the others. The expression Blair and the adults shared when he answered showed they understood.

"Well, I'm sure you'll encounter a Pokémon at some point, one that clicks with you. A lot like how Alex's Pokémon have clicked with her."

"Thanks, I hope so."

A few hours passed during their conversation, switching to different topics, asking and answering questions they'd toss one another. Eventually, the road began to show changes in its scenery. Instead of forests and fields from either side, they began to thin, houses and urban life trickling in, dirt roads and paths becoming concrete and tar.

"Oh wow, Vermilion City looks amazing!" Alex awed as they finally arrived. She and the others climbed out, the kids looking around at their surroundings.

They stopped the Pokémon Center so Alex and Chase could get themselves rooms, the family having their belongings brought to the ship. While the ship wasn't due to depart in a few days, the rooms were known for filling fast even with tickets. It was better to get the rooms they needed now and proper accommodations done in regards to Blair.

"It's a popular location for tourists to start or end during their vacations," Benedict commented. "Between the beaches and gym, there's different means of travel. They can choose to travel to Saffron and Cerulean City or travel east and choose between Lavender Town and Fuchsia City."

"Isn't that where you're from?" Alex asked.

"You live in Fuchsia City?" Tiana asked.

"That's right," Chase nodded. "I was in Cerulean City to look for fossils in Mt. Moon before I met with Alex." He didn't mention Team Rocket, not wanting to upset anyone, Bill specifically, given his age.

Cerulean was floating around, keeping close to Bill so he doesn't wander off when he had been released from his seat. Anytime he started to get lured away by a fluttering Pidgey or something shiny, she'd fly over and gently nudge him back by dangling her tail like a toy.

While she would have returned to her ball with so many people present, those same people were also preoccupied with their own things. Plus, with how much Bill adored her, she didn't want to upset him by being recalled suddenly.

"Pway?" the child asked. He gently pawed at the psychic's foot to get her attention.

 _{Sure thing,}_ she grinned playfully. She proceeded to make funny faces, making him laugh, clapping his hands excitedly.

"Silly kitty!" he laughed, bouncing up and down.

Ken joined the fun, making faces of his own, the child nearly falling over from laughing so much. They stopped when the others called them, Bill's mother scooping her child up. She would be heading over to the ship to see their rooms. Benedict was staying behind to make sure the trainers were able to get rooms. They had agreed to meet for lunch later at a restaurant the adults were familiar with.

"So what are we going to do?" Chase asked. They were currently putting their things away after they got their room.

"I saw some Pokémon outside of town," Alex mused as she pulled out her map. "Looks like it's called Route 6, so I might go and see if I can find a Pokémon. Afterward, I might check out Route 11 and Diglett Tunnel."

"Cool, there should be interesting Pokémon there."

"I hope so."

"By the way, I suggest if you go to the tunnel, keep near the entrance. I've heard there are Dugtrio that live there."

"Okay, I'll keep it in mind."

Grabbing her things, she was ready to head out, informing Benedict where she was going, the geologist wishing her luck. Chase chose to explore the city to see if there was anything he could get or bring Alex if he felt it would benefit her.

As Alex explored the new area, her Pokémon were out to explore and stretch. She told them to help find a potential teammate.

They nodded and began looking, talking to any new wild Pokémon that caught their attention. However, none seemed interested; leading up to Alex crossing the route out in her journal as a place she can't return to catch something.

Since that had been a failure, she and the others chose to use their time here to train, focusing more on Ansen and Lance since neither got to battle as much.

The girl knew the flying type won't be able to battle in the gym but also knows she can't slack in their training. There may come a time where they find a gym or a strong trainer that Ansen may want to battle or simply needs his strength.

A few hours passed before she made a return to the city, locating the Pokémon Center, her Pokémon pretty exhausted. Ansen and Ken had a close call with a trainer's Butterfree, Nala managing to take it out despite taking heavy hits herself. It was the same with a trainer's Squirtle and a couple of trainers near the entrance to the city.

"We better make a stop at the store to get more supplies," Alex hummed as she checked her bag. "Those battles had me using more potions than I would have expected."

~We'll just train harder so we don't end up using so many,~ Ansen grumbled

None of them were expecting the trainers to be so tough after their previous battles. Even the wild Pokémon proved to be tougher after battling a few of them.

"I guess that could work. But it won't be enough, we'll need to watch each other so if anyone got hurt badly or feels off, we'll run back here."

 _{Sounds like a pretty good plan,}_ Cerulean nodded.

Alex recalled her Pokémon into their balls, however, Ken and Cerulean had chosen to stay out and follow their trainer to the store. She gathered what she could find and afford, wishing she had more money to get more super potions. Who knew they were so expensive compared to regular potions?

Leaving, Alex looked at the map, deciding to make her way to Route 11 and hope she'll find someone to join. Depending on how it goes, she would either make a return to the Pokémon Center or head straight for Diglett Cave.

Passing the tunnel entrance, Alex paused briefly to stare in awe at the size, having never really seen anything like it. She remembered seeing on the map that there was a second one near Pewter City, but she didn't see it when she was there. Either it was gone or further away than the map shows.

Going into Route 11, finding a sign that showed she arrived, she called the others out with the same idea as before. Alex kept an eye on her Pokémon as they talked with any unfamiliar Pokémon that might have been interested.

Wandering a bit, she spotted something round and yellow on the ground. Walking over, she quickly recognized the pattern.

"Hello there," she smiled, the curled Pokémon jumping with a yelp.

~Don't do that!~ the Sandshrew cried out, patting her chest.

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay?"

~Yeah…~ she sighed. She doubted the trainer could understand her, but the gesture should be enough.

"That's good to hear. My name's Alex."

The Pokémon gave a quizzical look at her friendliness, acting as if they were having a real conversation, the Pokémon decided to go with it. She wasn't ordering a Pokémon to attack her and wasn't frantically throwing balls at her. It would be best to play along to learn more about her.

"I know this may seem like a strange request, but would you like to come with me?"

The Sandshrew raised a nonexistent brow.

~Well, that's new. Not many ask a Pokémon to join,~ the ground type mused.

"That may be true, but I figured it would be better this way."

~If only more…wait? You _actually_ understood?~

"Yeah, it's a bit of a long story," Alex laughed when the Pokémon stared blankly at her.

~I'm sure it is…~ the Sandshrew blinked. Composing herself, she thought about the question the trainer asked. ~Sure, why not. Am I going to be fighting every trainer?~

"Only if you want to. I don't want to force anyone or have them think they have to battle. I've got some at home, one who doesn't like battling, the other unsure. The rest so far have enjoyed battling, some more than others."

~That's pretty interesting… So if I don't want to battle, I won't get dumped?~

Alex shook her head, "If you don't want to battle, that's fine. Same if you even want to stay with me or be released."

~Sounds like a pretty good deal,~ the Sandshrew grinned, holding her paw out. She's seen other trainers do this act as a means of respect and friendship. ~I'll join.~

"That's great, is there a name you'd like?"

~Name?~

"Yeah, been giving everyone names so far."

~Sure, it might be fun.~

"Is Gabby fine?"

~I like it!~

Smiling, Alex took out a ball, lightly tapping it on the Pokémon's head, watching as she went in. Given her willingness, the ball stopped shaking and quickly transported itself back to her house.

"Guys, you can stop, I got us a teammate!" Alex called out to her Pokémon.

~Really? What did you get?~ Hana asked as she flew over.

"A Sandshrew, her name's Gabby."

~Where is she?~ Ken asked.

"I already caught her, so she's back home."

~That went pretty fast.~

"Tell me about it."

~So where do we go next?~ Nala asked.

"Maybe try Diglett Cave? I might have to put you your ball while we're in there. I don't know if there will be enough room to let you out safely."

~That's okay.~

Making sure everyone's accounted for, Alex recalled everyone before heading for the tunnel entrance. As she neared, she spotted a familiar face, a Jolteon by his side coming out…

"Steven?"

"Hey, long time, no see," the older trainer greeted. "How have you been doing?"

"Pretty good. I've gotten two badges so far," she smiled, showing him her winnings.

"That's great to hear, congrats. How have the others been doing?"

"They're doing great. I got a lot more Pokémon and some evolved."

"Really? I'm guessing that Ansen's one of them? Has his attitude improved?"

"He's still a grump, but he's not attacking me as much."

"Well, that's certainly an improvement," he joked.

"Yeah," she laughed. "What are you doing here?"

"Just exploring a little and was doing some training in there," Steven explained, gesturing to the tunnels. "The Dugtrio are good to battle against. Just have to be careful not to tick them off or run into an ornery one."

"I actually plan to go in there to catch a Diglett."

"That should be pretty useful for the gym here. I heard the gym leader specializes in electric types."

"Same. I actually caught a Sandshrew not long ago. I'm hoping I'll be able to train her as well as a Diglett if I find one wanting to come with me."

"Oh?"

Realizing her wording, she gave a nervous laugh. "I figured it might be easier to ask than throwing balls at every new Pokémon I run into when entering a new area."

"That makes sense. How's Sienna doing and Lance?"

"They're both doing great. Sienna's taking a break back home with my mom and a couple other Pokémon I caught. Lance is with me along with Ansen."

"Any other new Pokémon?"

Nodding, Alex decided she could trust him as she called everyone out to greet him, seeing his eyes widen in surprise. First, he was impressed by her Gyarados but became astounded when seeing the mythical Pokémon.

"Is that a _Mew?_ "

 _{One and the same,}_ Cerulean laughed as she floated near her trainer. _{Are you a friend of Alex?}_

"Yeah," Steven nodded. "So you can communicate through telepathy? That's really impressive. Most psychic types have trouble doing so."

 _{Yeah, it took a lot of practice,}_ the Pokémon grinned.

"That's true," he nodded. "I'm guessing you picked her because you felt something?"

 _{I just thought she looked like a nice girl,}_ Cerulean answered, giving her trainer a nuzzle. _{She's a skilled trainer and very kindhearted.}_

Alex felt her cheeks heat up at that but smiled in response as she scratched behind the psychic's ear.

"Well, it isn't just that," she started. She paused, considering her options. However, given Steven isn't acting any different since seeing Cerulean, she felt she could trust him with her biggest secret. "Before I tell you, I need you to listen, no matter how crazy or ridiculous it might sound. I'm only telling you because I consider you a friend."

Appearing taken off guard by this, Steven gave her a concerned look. "Sure, what is it?" The look in his eyes had hope that nothing bad happened to her.

Taking a breath, Alex told him, her voice almost going too fast. "IcanunderstandPokémon. IthappenedwhileIwasinViridianForest."

"Whoa, slow down, Alex," he said, reaching out to hold her shoulder. "Did you say you can understand Pokémon? _How?_ "

"Sorry… It happened in Viridian Forest; at least I _think_ that's where it happened. I didn't really know until I woke up at the Pokémon Center in Viridian City."

"How did you get there? Did someone hurt you?"

At this, Ken rubbed the back of his head, giving a nervous smile. "Pika…"

"No one did, I mean…" Alex paused, trying to sort her thoughts. "Ken, my Pikachu, he accidentally shocked me. There was a trainer hassling me because of him and really hurt Azure's Spearow. The shock knocked me out and when I woke up, I was at the Pokémon Center in the recovery room."

"I'm glad you're okay," Steven sighed, giving her a reassured smile. "But understanding Pokémon?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but it is true," she pleaded. "I don't know what caused it if it was because of Ken, something in the forest, or both…but…but I can understand Pokémon."

"Have you told anyone?" he asked, concern in his voice. The look his face didn't show signs that he was mocking her or believe she was insane. It was almost sympathetic as if he knew what she was feeling.

"Only a few…" she whispered. "Azure knows and so does Professor Oak. They were worried when I got shocked and being able to understand Pokémon out of the blue. So he wanted to make sure I wasn't seriously hurt as a result. My mom knows and I'm sure my dad knows. And I have a friend traveling with me who knows as well."

"What about Cerulean? Does anyone know about her besides me?"

"Well, some people have seen her, but they don't know what she is and haven't pressured about it. But those who _actually_ know about her are my mom and Chase. But I hoped to show her to the professor, my dad when I can talk to him, and Azure."

"Chase?"

"He's the friend I'm traveling with."

"I see…" he hummed. Pulling away, he crossed his arms, appearing in deep thought, Alex feeling a little concerned by his expression. The way his face seemed to wrinkle, the scars wrinkling seemed so out of place. Opening his eyes, he gave her a firm look. "I suggest you keep Cerulean to as small a circle as possible. It's the same with being able to understand Pokémon."

"I kind of figured, we talked about it, but I don't want to keep her cooped up in her ball all the time…"

"True, she should be lucky that she's a mythical Pokémon." He reached his hand out, scratching behind the cat's ear, having her twist and purr from the contact. "As for your ability, whether people believe you or not, some might consider it cheating."

"Cheating?" Alex gasped.

~He's right,~ the Jolteon chimed in. He had kept himself quiet for the most part. However, now that he knows she could understand him, it would make conversing with her easier than having to talk with other Pokémon or have someone translate.

"B-but I still give them orders like any other trainer," she exclaimed.

"Yeah, but some people can be assholes," Steven shrugged.

~Sounds like he dealt with it personally,~ Lance mused.

~You can say that ~ Henry chuckled dryly.

"You…you can understand Pokémon too?" Alex asked with a bewildered look.

Steven nodded, "Yeah, but I'm sure you understand why I didn't say anything before."

"Yeah… I didn't tell Chase right away until Azure accidentally spilled it."

"Does he believe you?"

"I think so; we haven't discussed it since then. But he hasn't questioned or judged me when I talked to any of them, even wild Pokémon."

"It sounds like you got pretty lucky getting good friends," he said with a smile.

"Did you have a bad experience?"

"Not personally, but there have been a few I met who proved they could understand Pokémon being called frauds or cheats. It can be devastating to a person that might make them resent that kind of ability."

"That might explain why Professor Oak has been having trouble finding information about this ability."

"Probably. I've yet to find out why I understand them."

"When did it happen?"

"When I was a teenager. I'm not sure _when_ it started exactly, but it was after a nasty battle and some of us got hurt."

~That had to have been scary,~ Nala whined softly.

"It was, but we made it. Nicholas helped get us to safety. Shortly after, I started to notice I could understand him and the others when they talked. At first, I thought I was delirious or something, but I came to realize that I wasn't. I understood them, understood _all_ Pokémon I came across."

"That's really amazing," Alex awed. "It must have been tough though. Did you have anyone besides your Pokémon to help you? Support you even?"

"Afraid not, so you're lucky you have that."

"Yeah…" she whispered, thinking of those close to her. "If you don't mind me asking, but who is Nicholas? I don't remember you mentioning him before."

Giving a sheepish look, Steven gave his answer. "My Articuno."

"A-Articuno? As in one of the _legendary_ birds?"

"The very same," Steven nodded. "I didn't mention him before because of his rarity. But given you've got a mythical Pokémon yourself, you would understand. I've also got another rare Pokémon for the same reason."

A part of Alex _wanted_ to be hurt that he didn't tell her, but she also knew he spoke the truth. When they first met, they were still mostly strangers, he didn't know what she was like and neither did she with him had she gotten Cerulean sooner. But by her _showing_ Cerulean and sharing her secret, he was willing to trust her enough to share his secrets. Whether it's all of them or not, she wouldn't know nor was she going to pry.

"Could I ask who the other Pokémon is?"

Steven nodded, about to answer before his Jolteon beat him. ~Lavender's a Mew.~

"Henry!" the trainer scolded, the Pokémon having a sheepish grin.

"A Mew? You've got a Mew as well?" Alex blinked, looking at her partner in surprise, the other sharing the same expression.

 _{I didn't think another would let herself get captured. Thought I was the odd one,}_ the psychic said in surprise.

"Lavender's an odd one too. She joined when we were close to Lavender Town."

 _{Are you **sure** that the two of you aren't related since you've named us after locations?}_ Cerulean teased.

"I suppose that _is_ pretty coincidental," Steven laughed as he and Alex blushed. "But having her and Nicholas with names has made traveling easier for us."

"It did?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "If any of us get a bad feeling about someone, I can lie what they are without sending them out. Plus, it would slow down the beggars and crazies wanting to trade for them."

"That's really smart; it's a lot like what I thought, though I like giving everyone names. If any want one."

 _{That's also why we made a plan that if things were bad, I'd stay hidden and we'd leave the area,}_ Cerulean stated proudly.

"That's good, you seem like a good Pokémon and Alex is a nice girl," Steven smiled, patting her on the head.

 _{Thank you.}_

~We won't let anything bad happen to either of them!~ Hana proclaimed. ~We've been getting a lot stronger so we can protect them.~

~They'd regret if they tried messing with us,~ Ansen stated.

~Just don't get cocky,~ Henry warned. ~Better to stay safe than get in over your heads.~

"He's right," Steven nodded as he turned to Alex. "Either way, you've got yourself some really great Pokémon. I'm sure as you continue; you'll get more and make a really strong team."

"Thank you, Steven," Alex thanked. "Are you staying in Vermilion City by any chance?"

"For a little bit. I plan on spending some time on the S.S. Anne," Steven responded. "Of all things, I won a contest for a free ticket. Figured I'd check it out. If anything, it might be a nice way for everyone to relax."

"That's cool, I might see you there. Chase and I made friends with this nice family and they invited us to join them for a bit before the ship leaves."

"That's pretty lucky," the young man chuckled. "By the way, this friend of yours, where is he?"

"He's back in the city. He wanted to do some shopping and probably explore. He might even be looking for a new Pokémon."

"New Pokémon?" Alex paused, her smile fading, making the other grow worried. "Alex?"

"Sorry," she apologized. "It's just that… Well… Chase lost all of his Pokémon in Mt. Moon, just before I showed up."

"What happened?"

"Team Rocket."

The color drained from Steven's face hearing that, his hands trembling. A concerned whine escaped Henry's throat, ears flattening against his skull. He looked up at his trainer worriedly.

"T-Team Rocket attacked you guys?"

She nodded, explaining what happened, seeing how concerned he was, how _scared_ he looked at the mere mention of the gang.

Part of her wanted to ask but upon looking at his and Henry's scars, she pushed the question back. She had a feeling, a _bad_ feeling that he might have had some nasty run-ins with Team Rocket that led to some of those scars. Why didn't she think about it before the first time she saw him?

"Alex, _promise_ me you won't mess with them anymore," Steven said, almost begging.

"Steven?"

"Just promise me!"

"I never intended to mess with them at all. Most of them attacked _me_ first."

The young man gave a worried look but forced himself to relax. "Sorry, I…I don't want someone like you to get hurt by them. Team Rocket can be merciless."

"Yeah…"

"I'm sorry, but I need to go," Steven said quickly. He and Henry quickly left them, almost running away.

~That was kind of scary,~ Nala commented. ~He looked really scared.~

"He did…"

Alex felt a cold chill run down her back, but there weren't any breezes or none that would leave her to shiver like that.

~How about we go in and find ourselves a Diglett?~ Ansen suggested. ~We're already here. After we do that, we can head back.~

Taken off guard by her Pokémon's strange calmness, Alex was quick to agree. Putting Nala back in her ball, they went inside and made their way down the ladder, most flying down. The remainders had to be put into their balls for their safety not just from having to climb down a ladder, but the ground types living here.

They kept near the entrance, the ladder within sight. If something went wrong or they found themselves out of luck, they would need to be able to find the ladder so they can leave.

Furry heads quickly popped out of the ground, most either disappearing or attempting to attack, feeling threatened by the trespasser. Hana was quick to jump in and hold them off, sending most away with her psychic energies.

"I don't want to start any unnecessary fights!" Alex cried out. She scrambled to get some potions and bandages out when seeing Hana getting hurt.

~Leave!~ a slightly larger Diglett shouted. ~We're sick of trainers beating us up!~

~But didn't that other trainer ask to battle some of us for training? He _was_ pretty polite…~ another pointed out, ducking underground when glared at.

~The others were dummies! People and outside Pokémon have no place here. This is _our_ domain, we are _kings!_ ~

"Kings?" Alex blinked.

~Yes, kings!… Wait, you can understand us?~

Getting used to that question, Alex nodded, "Yes. _Please_ listen to me, I don't want to hurt anyone here."

~Then you're here to catch one of us and make us a slave?~

"I wouldn't do that. I came to ask if someone wanted to join me."

~No one wants to join a stinky trainer!~

~What about…~

~I said _no_ one will go with a trainer! As the king, I say so!~

~You can't speak for everyone on these kinds of decisions. Let the others speak,~ Hana argued as she flew closer. ~Alex is a really nice trainer. She treats us really well…~

~Silence! I say trainers are stinky, so they're stinky!~

~The brat's not going to listen, Hana,~ Ansen sighed. ~If none of you are interested as he claims, then we'll leave.~

Hana looked upset to hear this, having hoped they'd get another friend. With a sad look, she started to fly back before yelping when the cranky mole scratched her from behind.

~That wasn't nice!~ she cried out. The attack stung, feeling trickles of blood running down her back.

"Hana!" Alex cried out.

~Be gone, stinky…~ the Diglett started until the ground shook, stopping him in mid-sentence. ~Oh no, the big dummy is coming!~

Alex wondered what he meant until a larger version of Diglett with three heads showed up. She pulled out her Pokédex, reading that it was called a Dugtrio, the evolved form of Diglett.

"H-hi…" Alex greeted, the Pokémon giving her a quizzical look. "We don't mean to trespass. We came in here to see if someone wanted to join our team."

The Pokémon moved closer but made no attempt to attack, giving a curious gaze, indicating for her to continue her offer.

"I've been asking Pokémon if they want to come and whether they want to stay after a while. They can choose to stay at my house or I can have them released if they don't want to stay _with_ me. Same whether any want to battle or not, or want to stop battling after a while."

All three heads stared, looking interested as they gently bowed.

~Do not surrender to them!~ the annoying Diglett shouted angrily. ~We are not servants!~

~I think he wants to join,~ Hana stated. Ignoring the stinging sensation from her injury, she flew over to the ground type, giving him a friendly wave. ~Alex is really nice and treats us all really well. If you join, she'll take really good care of you too.~

The Pokémon seemed convinced as it came closer, gently nuzzling the girl's legs.

"You want to join?"

The three-headed Pokémon nodded, having her smile, though found the exchange strange since it hasn't talked. Fishing for a ball, she paused, having a couple of questions to ask.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I'm not used to telling the difference between male and female Pokémon. Could you tell me your sex?"

The Pokémon said nothing, another Diglett speaking up.

~He's _always_ the quiet type. That's why he's called a dummy because he never talks. He's been like this since a Diglett.~

"Oh…" Alex hummed, grateful for the answer. "It's okay if you don't want to talk. So long as you're okay coming with me and if you like to battle, we'll work something out."

The Pokémon gave a pleased look, comforting her.

~Thank you,~ Hana chirped happily to the Diglett that answered them. Her back was hurting a little less, allowing her bubbly attitude to return.

"Since we know you're a boy, would you like a name?" Alex asked the Pokémon. He nodded, having her smile. "Okay, how about Bando?" Again, another nod. "Then welcome to the team Bando. I'll be sure to get you on the team so we can train."

She held the ball out, gently tapping the evolved Pokémon, watching as he went inside, the ball wiggling a little before it stilled.

~You stole our dummy!~ the annoying Diglett shrieked, other likeminded ones joining. ~Thief! Thief! We must stop the thief!~

~You _might_ want to leave!~ the helpful Diglett suggested. Alex couldn't have agreed more with it.

She was already recalling most of her Pokémon. While they could try and battle, there were too many and more could show up. Not entirely thinking it through, she kept Hana out, the two soon made a break for the ladder as more Diglett began to show up. They were aiming to attack them, their _leader_ still screaming.

"How did Steven handle it down here?" she wondered out loud as she ran for the ladder.

A Diglett tripped her, causing her to scramble away when some tried scratching her, throwing sand at her and Hana. The bug type was using Confusion to push them back.

Alex let out a startled help when one apparently jumped on her back, tearing at her bag, hearing the fabric rip and things start falling. Not bothering to pick up what fell, she focused getting away. She reached the ladder, climbing it quickly. Hana was right behind her, sending one last blast of Confusion at them.

Once they were outside, the Diglett stopped their pursuit, allowing them to breathe easier, grateful they stopped. Alex took the time between catching her breath to examine her bag. She wanted to know what she lost, finding that it had been several pokéballs and some potions.

"Oh man…" she sighed. Part of her wanted to go back in and try to get her stuff back, but at the same time, she didn't want to deal with those Diglett again.

She'll have to let an officer know their aggression so they can make a warning for future trainers. She'll also want to talk with Steven to find out how he handled training down there so easily with cranky and paranoid Diglett.

~Are you okay?~ Hana asked worriedly.

"I should ask _you_ the same," the trainer half-joked as she gestured for her to come closer.

Taking what she still had, she tended to the butterfly's injuries, knowing they'll need to get patched up at the Pokémon Center.

~Strange as that whole thing was, at least we got a new friend,~ the bug type beamed.

"That's true. Come on; let's get to the Pokémon Center."

* * *

 **Steven returns to the scene. I missed him and Henry. Had them appear earlier than I planned, but I think it kind of works out with the situation.**

 **Why he's freaked out over Team Rocket or Alex running into them, I'll leave that up to you guys for now. Although, if someone comes up with a really fantastic theory, I'd love to hear it and if you don't mind, use it. I'll be certain to credit you for it. I'll eliminate this line should such an event occur.**

 **Also, at the time when I named his Articuno, I hadn't realized I had given Elm the same name. Not sure if I want to change it or keep it the same, the Pokémon's, not the human's name, I like it to much. If any of you have suggestions for a better name, I'm all ears/eyes.**

 **I** f **you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


	25. Chapter 25

After getting Hana and the others patched up, including herself, Alex took some time to repair her bag. It reminded her of the first time she had to repair it back in Viridian City. At the rate things were going for it, she might have to replace it pretty soon, unsure if she'll be able to afford it. Between food and medicine for everyone, there's not much left over for anything else.

When she was done and her Pokémon were returned, she decided to talk to them. She wanted to take Gabby and Bando out and train them for a bit.

~So two of us have to switch?~ Hana asked.

"Yeah, but I want you guys to decide. I don't want to force you. It'll be like how Sienna and Lance chose, right?"

~That's right,~ the poison type nodded. ~Her house is really nice and her mom's really kind. She let us wander around the house, inside and outside until it starts getting dark, then she has us go back in. The other Pokémon that live there are really nice as well.~

~It sounds like it!~ the butterfly beamed.

"The gym is supposed to have electric Pokémon and three of you are weak to their attacks. It would be risky to use any of you even if we did train a lot beforehand."

~I'm not going. Weak or not, I _want_ to get stronger. I don't want to have the same mistake almost happen before we got Gabby. And the incident in that tunnel is proof that I _need_ to get stronger,~ Ansen stated, the girl not surprised.

~I could go. After the tunnel, I'd like a little break. And I would like to meet your mom and her Pokémon. You said she had Butterfree like me, right? I bet it'll be fun to say hi to them, maybe learn some things from them,~ Hana said brightly. ~After the gym, if Gabby and Bando don't want to stay or someone else wants to switch, I'll come back if you need me.~

"Are you sure?"

~I am.~

"Anyone else?" Alex asked.

~Maybe I could take a break to?~ Ken asked. ~I don't know how useful I'll be in an electric gym. I know I can resist electric attacks, but they're different to water attacks with someone like Nala.~

"If you want to switch, that's okay. And like Hana said, should Gabby or Bando want to go back, then you can come back if you want."

Talking a bit more, making sure Nala wanted to stay, getting her confirmation, Alex recalled everyone before heading inside. She headed towards the nearest booth, calling her mom. They talked a bit, informing her she's arrived in Vermilion City and anything else interesting that had happened. Eventually, the topic of swapping Pokémon came up. Before long Alex sent Hana and Ken over, her mother transferring Bando and Gabby.

"Take care, you guys," Alex waved when they were called out. The Pokémon waved back enthusiastically.

 **~We will!~** Hana beamed brightly.

Once the connection cut, Alex couldn't help but feel odd switching some of her oldest Pokémon out, but at the same time excited. She'll get to bond with her newly made catches and hope they'll become good friends. Maybe she'll get Bando to talk if he's around a team that cares?

Feeling better, she headed out, having looked at the clock to see the time. It was about lunch, so she headed for the restaurant they would meet up at. When she arrived, Chase was there, greeting her as were Benedict and his family.

"Had fun out there?" the geologist asked.

"You can say that," she laughed nervously.

Avoiding sharing certain details when talking about Steven, she shared what happened, introducing Gabby to everyone.

"Mousy?" Bill wondered, looking at the Pokémon curiously.

"Her name's Gabby. She's taking Ken's place while he rests at my mom's. Bando took Hana's for the same reason."

"That's good to hear you're switching your team around. That should help with getting them stronger," Benedict said with a proud smile.

"Yeah, but it's odd not having them around. And it's still strange not having Sienna around either."

"Maybe you could switch for her later? Maybe have Nala go to your house if possible?" Blair suggested. "Since the gym uses electric types, she'd be really weak there. Same with Ansen given he's a flying type."

"Ansen would probably start chasing me around if I tried sending him home," Alex joked, knowing it would likely happen. While it's been a while since he attacked her, that doesn't mean he wouldn't start again.

"I'm actually surprised you were able to catch a Dugtrio. They're supposed to be really tough to fight," Tiana commented. "You're a very lucky girl."

"Thank you, I hope Bando and I will do really well together as a team," Alex smiled as she held the other ball. She'd call him out, but she didn't want to risk damaging the floor if he started digging. It was a strange mystery with Pokémon like Diglett and Dugtrio.

"I'm sure you will. If you can raise a Gyarados with no problems, then I think you can handle a Dugtrio," Benedict chuckled.

They talked some more, Bill playing with Cerulean as she flew about the room, letting him chase her tail.

When it got late, the trainers bid them farewell as they headed back to the Pokémon Center to get some rest.

On the following day, Alex decided that it was time to train her newly acquired Pokémon for the eventual gym battle. Chase chose to accompany her, wanting to help her out as best he can. They met with Benedict and the others briefly, informing them of their plans before leaving them to their own things.

Bill wanted to go with them, but his parents told him he couldn't, the small boy fussing until his cousin came to the rescue. She asked him for his help to explore the city with his parents, the boy lighting up at the offer.

"I think he's really taken a liking to Cerulean," Chase commented as they headed for a spot to train.

"Looks like it, I can only imagine what might happen when we part ways," Alex laughed nervously.

 _{I'm sure he'll be okay. He's a tough kid,}_ the psychic hummed in thought.

Finding a good spot to train, Alex called the rest of the team out, introducing them properly with the ground types.

"Everyone, this is Gabby and Bando. They're going to train with us and help us with facing the gym and however long afterward," Alex introduced before turning to the new additions. "This is more of the team. This is Cerulean, Ansen, Lance, and Nala. And this is my friend, Chase. There are a couple more you've yet to meet, Ken and Hana, my Pikachu and Butterfree. They traded places with you so you can train."

~It's a pleasure to meet you,~ the water type greeted happily.

~Same, I met some of the Pokémon back at Alex's house. That Charmeleon is really nice. Same with the Clefairy, Jigglypuff, and Bellsprout,~ Gabby beamed, looking more confident.

"I'm glad to hear everyone's getting along," Alex smiled, before focusing on the task at hand. "Now, to start our training, we'll pair up into teams and keep to a certain range so we can see one another. This is done to avoid accidents. That way I'll be able to heal anyone or get you back in your ball so I can get you to the Pokémon Center for treatment."

~I can agree to that if it means keeping safe,~ the ground type nodded.

Bando said nothing but nodded as well.

~Not much of a talker,~ Ansen commented, the ground type shifting his heads similar to a shrug.

"Ansen, think you and Lance could help Gabby? She'll need to have support until she's caught up."

~No problem,~ the poison type nodded.

~Sure,~ the avian shrugged.

"Thanks. Nala, could you and Cerulean help Bando out?"

~Of course,~ the water type beamed.

~Sure thing,~ the psychic grinned.

They quickly split up to find decent spots to train, mindful of how far they go. Alex and Chase sat down to watch. She picked this area as it was closest to the city limits and the Pokémon Center should something bad happen.

Once she knows where Gabby and Bando are at and the others are doing okay, she'll start looking into finding a better spot with stronger Pokémon. One place to come to mind was the area where she caught Gabby. She remembered seeing some trainers there, so it couldn't hurt, but there was also a chance they could encounter a similar strength shift like around here. She doesn't want to risk putting her Pokémon in danger again.

While watching the Pokémon train, she and Chase took the time to talk about yesterday.

"So you met a friend yesterday, right?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, I met him back in Viridian City. It was thanks to him that I have Hana," Alex answered.

"Really?"

"Mhm… He suggested that I get a Caterpie and when I was near the forest, I found her."

"Talk about lucky."

"Yeah…"

"Is something wrong?"

"Huh?"

"Did something happen yesterday?"

Alex looked away, having recalled the strange interaction the two had when Team Rocket was mentioned, unsure whether to share or not. She wasn't sure how Steven would feel if she told someone about his Pokémon or his ability, yet at the same time, it didn't feel right keeping it from her friend. She trusts Chase enough keeping Cerulean safe as well as knowing she can understand Pokémon.

After debating this for a moment in her mind, she decided it would be alright to tell him. At some point, they'll meet, and it would make talking about the interaction yesterday easier. He might even have some advice or thoughts to help understand what happened better than what she and her Pokémon could come up with.

"Well, something strange happened when I was talking to Steven," she started. "I ended up telling him about Team Rocket and what they had done in Mt. Moon and the problems in Cerulean City."

"So what happened?"

"He looked really scared. I wanted to ask, but I didn't…"

"Maybe he had a run-in with them?"

"That's what I think. He has a lot of scars as does his Jolteon. I don't even know if the rest of the Pokémon have scars or not."

"Yikes."

"Not only that but… _Promise_ not to tell anyone, okay?"

"Of course."

"He told me that he can understand Pokémon too. He proved it when answering my Pokémon's questions. Not only that, but he has _two_ legendary Pokémon."

"You're _kidding?_ "

Alex shook her head, "I didn't see them, but Henry vouched for him. He has an Articuno and a Mew of his own."

"No way! He's got a Mew as well?" Chase almost shouted, but kept his voice down.

"That's what he and Henry said. If I couldn't understand Pokémon, I might not have believed Steven, but if Henry says so, I'm more willing to believe them."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. But what reason did Alex have to lie to him? And while still strange to think about her ability, if this Jolteon said it was true, then what reason could _he_ have to lie as well? Truth or not, it was a lot to take in, the teen pushing his glasses up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"But if that's true and what you said about his reaction to Team Rocket, it sounds like he had a serious encounter with them."

"That's what I'm afraid of. He was practically _begging_ me not to get involved with them any further than I had."

"But you _aren't_ actively seeking them out though…"

"That's what I told him, but I think he was having a flashback or something."

"Like PTSD?"

"I guess… I kind of wish I could have asked him, but…"

"You did the right thing not asking. While you may see him as a friend and he trusts you enough to share _some_ secrets, the two of you are still strangers. If he had traveled with you like I have, then it might be different. I can't really say."

"Maybe if we bump into each other again, I can try to spend more time so I can know him better and he knows me more? That way it might be less awkward if I were to ask him about it in case I see that it's bothering him."

"That could work, but don't expect him to answer still, same with his Pokémon. If he had encountered Rockets, then it's probably not pretty."

Alex nodded as she continued to watch the others train. She could see Bando knocking Pokémon out with ease, hardly needing assistance.

As for Gabby, she struggled, her claws simply not sharp enough to do serious damage when attacking some Pidgey or the occasional Meowth. Any Bellsprout that tried sneaking up on her was taken out by Ansen, sometimes Lance if he was closer.

When the weaker ground type started getting badly hurt, Alex retrieved her to let her rest and heal at the Pokémon Center. She gathered up the others so they can recover as well.

Once recovered, she took them back out for more training, having them do the same tactic again. However, given how strong Bando has proven himself to be, Alex had him focus more on weaknesses for blind spots and ways to protect himself from potentially harmful attacks, Ansen covering that part. Cerulean and Nala could now train more freely without having to worry about the Pokémon.

As for Gabby, she continued to train under her seniors. Slowly, she was starting to get the hang of using her claws for real offense than simply stunning her opponents. Where she simply surprised or stunned wild Pokémon, she began to cause actual damage. Now she had to focus on building up her muscles and learn to better defend herself in the heat of the moment.

In the few hours they started, Alex took her to the Pokémon Center for any injuries beyond her skills.

The day continued until it was nearing evening, Gabby starting to look more confident in herself as she successfully defeated another Pidgey.

~Didn't think battling could be this hard,~ the Sandshrew panted.

~You're doing really well. I had trouble myself when I first joined,~ Lance reassured. ~Same for Nala, even Hana.~

~Really?~

The poison type nodded as they walked back to Alex when hearing her call for them, that they're calling it a night.

~Yeah. Sure, it can get a little scary when facing strong Pokémon, but so long as we try our best and support each other, we'll be fine.~

~That's nice to hear,~ the ground type hummed.

They followed their trainer to the Pokémon Center for their final healing. Alex thanked the nurse, wishing her a good night as they left for another restaurant Benedict's family invited her and Chase too. When they arrived and were let in, greeting the family.

"How did training go?" Blair asked.

"Pretty good, Bando's really strong, so it doesn't look like he needs a lot of training. The most I might work with him would be to make sure he knows his strength. I wouldn't want him to hurt someone by mistake. Gabby still needs work, but she's catching on fast. She's starting to beat some Pokémon on her own, so it shows."

"That's wonderful to hear," Tiana beamed. "If it goes well, maybe she'll evolve into a Sandslash? Some I've seen are quite cute."

"That'll be neat to have, but only if Gabby wants to evolve," Alex giggled before getting up. "I'll be back; I want to let them out so they can eat."

"No problems, you know where we'll be," Benedict reassured.

Alex laughed as headed over to the front desk. She handed her Pokémon to the man so he can take them to a feeding area, namely for Nala. But with Bando now in the team, he would need to go as well. The only one she kept with her was Cerulean, more due to Bill wanting to play with her. She was surprised her Pokémon hasn't gotten tired playing that little boy so much.

When she returned, she had her psychic out of her ball, the pair joining the others for dinner, talking about how their day had gone. It felt strange to Alex, given that neither she or Chase are part of the family, yet Benedict and Tiana treat them as if they are. It was nice and refreshing given they're away from their respective homes.

When dinner was over, they bid the family goodnight and headed back to the Pokémon Center to clean up and get some sleep. After a good night's rest, the day returned, Alex and her team were back training.

It would also be the same day Benedict and his family would start transferring their things onto the cruise now that they're at a closer date to its departure.

They returned to Route 6, but there was an increase of Bellsprout, so they quickly left, needing to find a new training spot. Gabby shared that her previous home didn't have large populations of grass types, so they decided to head there to train.

"You're doing great, Gabby!" Alex cheered as the Pokémon took down a Spearow.

She had dodged its more dangerous attacks, only affected by the lesser ones like Growl and Leer before defeating the bird.

~Thanks!~ the ground type grinned, feeling more pumped about battling. She can see why Ansen and Cerulean love it so much, feeling her muscles starting to strengthen the more she fought. It was that and the adrenaline rush from battling!

"Are you a trainer?" a boy's voice asked, the Sandshrew looking up.

"Yeah," Alex answered.

"Think we could have a battle?"

"Sure."

~Think I could try?~ Gabby asked, having run over to tug at her trainer's pant leg.

"Alright then," Alex smiled. "If it's too much, I'll switch you out."

The Sandshrew nodded as the boy called out a strong looking Ekans.

Both trainers battled, however, Gabby ended up having to be switched quickly when the Ekans had her bound with its body, squeezing her far too tightly. Lance took over the moment the trainer could recall her, the poison type knocking the snake out with his horn.

"Aw man, thought I was going to win," the boy sighed.

"Yeah," Alex laughed nervously as she patted Lance. "You did great."

~Thanks,~ he smiled as they parted ways with the trainer. ~That Ekans was really tough. I can see why Gabby was having trouble.~

"I'm just glad I was able to switch her out," Alex sighed as she held the ball in her hand.

"You okay?" Chase asked worriedly.

"Just panicked a little."

Pressing the button, Gabby was out, looking both tired and disappointed at her performance in a trainer battle.

~I'm sorry I couldn't win,~ she apologized sadly.

"Don't be, you did better than you think. That Sand-Attack helped Lance," Alex reassured, the poison type agreeing.

~You think so?~

~Yeah, he was far busier trying to find me visually and trying to spit the stuff out than actually landing attacks,~ Lance added. ~It looked a lot bigger than most of the Ekans that seem to live around here.~

~I heard there are some Ekans nest elsewhere from passing Spearow and Pidgey that fly through,~ Gabby commented. ~Maybe that's where he came from?~

"Who knows, but the fact we beat him, show you guys have been getting stronger," Alex beamed. "Come on, we'll head back to the city so you can get properly healed. Afterward, we'll come back to do some more training. We'll just avoid battling trainers for a bit until we're feeling more confident."

~Alright, think I could I rest in my pokéball though?~ Gabby asked.

"That's fine." With a press of the button, the ground type was back inside, Alex clipping it to her belt with the others.

"Who knew the Pokémon around here were this tough?" Chase commented as they began heading back.

"I know. They're _completely_ different from the Pokémon back in Cerulean City, even Mt. Moon, and Pewter City," Alex answered. "I can only imagine how much tougher others might be elsewhere. Are the Pokémon near Fuchsia City tough?"

"Probably, but given what my Pokémon consisted, most didn't bother me," the boy sighed, quickly changing the subject. "So what are you going to do? Are you _actually_ going to keep training?"

"I _kind_ of promised I would. Plus, Gabby seems to want to keep going. If she doesn't want to at any point, I won't make her."

"You're a really great trainer. These guys are lucky to have you."

"Thanks, I'm really glad to have met them. I feel just as lucky."

As they neared the city, they saw some trainers battling with one another. They were battling in the pathway, making it impossible to get around. They were forced to wait until they were done. They were battling with a Spearow and Pidgeotto, both boys shouting orders to their respective avian to attack one another.

"Use Fury Attack!"

"Blind it with Sand-Attack!"

Alex and Chase covered their faces when the sand was kicked up, the attack stronger than they're used to.

"Man, Ansen would be jealous if he saw that guy's Pidgeotto," Alex joked as she tried shaking the dust out of her hair. "We should move. If we can get hit with a Sand-Attack, I hate to be around if they used something stronger."

"Good i… Alex, watch out!" Chase started, grabbing her as the blinded Pokémon came charging towards them.

The Spearow had gotten disoriented, charging blindly instead of following commands. Its beak glowed as it aimed to strike its opponent. Alex let out a cry when it grazed her side, her hoodie getting ripped in the process. She grabbed her side, tears springing to her eyes as she felt the spot wet. She pulled her hand away to see blood on her palm.

"Ow…" she whined softly.

"Shit! Hold on, let me get some bandages," Chase panicked as he pulled her bag off to rummage for medical supplies. He pulled out the first aid kit, having her lift her shirt to see how bad it was. "Looks like it nicked you pretty good. It doesn't _look_ serious. But it'll be better to have the doctor look at it."

Alex nodded, trying not to cry as he put pressure on the wound to feeling the stinging grow from the antibiotics rubbed in. The tape was quickly applied to hold it in place, arms helping her up. Chase had slung her bag over his shoulder.

The trainers stopped, realizing what happened. Instead of helping though, they both fled, fearing the trouble they could be in.

Reaching the Pokémon Center, the nurse was thankfully free to tend to the girl's injury, taking her pokéballs, handing them to Chansey.

"Looks like the cuts are small. They probably hurt worse than they really are," the pink haired woman joked nervously. She was busily reapplying the medicine and re-bandaging it more properly to ensure the area's protected. "Doesn't look like you'll get any scars from it, but what happened?"

"We were on our way back here when there were some trainers battling. They had a Pidgeotto and a Spearow. We were waiting for them to finish since we couldn't get around. We went to move away when the Pidgeotto used Sand-Attack. Next thing I know, Chase grabbed me and the Spearow cut me. I don't think it was trying to hurt me. It was probably blind from the sand."

"Sounds like it. If I see them, I'll be sure to talk with them about proper battle safety."

"Thank you. How are my Pokémon?"

Smiling, glad to see the girl already looked better, she stood up. "I'll go check. I gave them to Chansey to take care of."

"Okay."

"You should be okay if you want to wait in the lobby with your friend."

Alex nodded as she got up, picking her hoodie up, ready to throw it back on. She was already in a new t-shirt, the nurse having to take it since it soaked up most of the blood, thus a health hazard.

A frown formed when seeing the large tear on the side, reaching the front pocket and most of the back. Who knew that much damage was done to her clothes while her skin was almost untouched in comparison? The tear was far too big for her to repair and there were bloodstains, almost impossible to get rid of.

"I really liked this," she sighed. She'll _have_ to throw it out; there was no way around it.

Holding it in her arms, she walked out to the main lobby, finding Chase eagerly waiting for her. There was immediate relief in his eyes when seeing her walking towards him, seeing that she was okay.

"Alex!"

"I'm okay. You were right about the cuts. Nurse Joy just redressed it after looking it over," she smiled reassuringly.

"I'm glad you're okay," the boy smiled.

"If only I can say the same for my hoodie," she sighed.

"Can it be fixed?" She shook her head as she held it up, the boy cringing at the sight. "Yeah…that can't be saved."

"Tell me about it," she pouted. "I swear, if I see those guys, I'll tell them they owe me a new hoodie."

"I don't blame you."

They sat and waited for the nurse to return, seeing her carrying the tray holding pokéballs, calling Alex over.

"Here you go."

"Thank… Wait, there's only five!"

Chase's eyes widened when he saw she was right, "One's missing…"

Panicking, she grabbed them all, running outside to see who it was, seeing the disoriented faces of Ansen, Lance, Nala, Cerulean, Bando…

"Gabby's missing!" Alex cried out. "That Spearow must have knocked her ball off my belt!"

~Wait, _what_ happened?~ Lance asked frantically, running up to his trainer. ~What Spearow? What's happened with Gabby?~

"There was a battle earlier between trainers. The Spearow got blinded and accidentally attacked us. It cut me and we came here, but I never realized she was missing… We have to find her!"

Chase joined her, "I'll help you."

She nodded in thanks as they ran to where it happened, the Pokémon close behind, concerned about their missing friend. Reaching the spot, they found people passing through, stopping them.

"Excuse me. Have you seen a pokéball on the ground around here?" Chase asked a female trainer.

"No, I haven't. Why?"

"It got separated from its trainer. There's a Pokémon inside."

The trainer grew worried, offering to help as did others as they began looking around, time ticking as they searched as thoroughly as they could. Some even called their Pokémon out to help look; the Pokémon told what to look for. Some even dove into the water in case the ball rolled off the ledge, something Alex prayed didn't happen.

"Gabby…" the girl sniffed, wiping at her eyes as dusk started to fall and there was still no sign. "What if someone picked her up and took her?"

"We'll check with the police and the Pokémon Center in case she was dropped off."

"Geez, how can you be _stupid_ to lose your own Pokémon?" a trainer sneered.

"I got attacked by a Spearow! I didn't intend to lose her!" Alex shouted, more tears falling.

"Whatever, I'm done," the trainer shrugged as he recalled his Pokémon and left.

"Calm down, we'll find her," Chase reassured, taking her hands in his.

It wasn't fair she had to go through with this again. First, she loses Nate, now it looks like it's happened again with Gabby. The worst part about all of this, they don't even know if she's actually okay or not.

With work, Chase made her come back to town, convincing her they should talk with the police so they can look. It was getting darker and soon they won't be able to see and it would start becoming a safety hazard.

"Gabby…" Alex cried as she hugged herself. "Why did this have to happen?"

"Don't give up," Chase begged as they waited for an officer to talk with them.

After several minutes passed, one spoke with them, taking notes of the missing Pokémon and what happened that led to it.

"We'll look for your Sandshrew, young lady, don't worry," Officer Jenny said, giving the girl a comforting pat on the shoulder. "So long as she's in her ball, she should be fine."

Alex nodded, not entirely convinced, but it was better than assuming she's lost and hurt somewhere out of her ball.

The two returned to the Pokémon Center, Chase placing a comforting arm around her. Along the way, they bumped into Tiana and Benedict, the pair noticing how grim they looked.

"What happened?" Tiana asked.

Tears forming again, Alex began sobbing into her hands, leaning into Chase as he held her tightly. He explained what had happened, the adults sharing concerned looks as they listened. Both hoped that the Pokémon will be found soon while they walked them back.

* * *

 **Alex - Pokémon 13 - Badges 2 - Deaths 1 - Unknown 1  
**

 **Team:**

 **Ansen - Pidgey - Pidgeotto  
**

 **Lance - Nidoran M.** ** **-** Nidorino**

 **Nala - Magikarp - Gyarados  
**

 **Cerulean - Mew**

 ** **Bando - Dugtrio****

* * *

 **Home:**

 ** **Sienna - Charmander** ** **-** Charmeleon****

 **Maxwell - Jigglypuff**

 **Lizzy - Clefairy**

 **Vexas - Bellsprout**

 **Gabby - Sandshrew**

 **Hana - Caterpie** ** ** **-**** Metapod - Butterfree  
**

 **Ken - Pikachu**

* * *

 **Death(s):  
**

 **Nate - Abra**

* * *

 **Unknown:**

 **Gabby - Sandshrew**

* * *

 **I want to greatly apologize for the hiatus becoming so long. Work had gotten ahead of me from trying to earn enough to pay bills and such. I had no time to sit and type, let alone work more for more chapters.**

 **I'm still not out of that pit though, but it's starting to come together by means of finances. I can't guarantee if I'll be able to post on a regular schedule again, but I'll try my best to do so.**

 **Also, what do you might have happened to Gabby? Is she dead? Or could she still be alive?**

 **I would also like to thank, PinkTheDinosaur on Deviantart for helping me with edits on this chapter.**

 **I** f **you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.**


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